Return of the River: Presentation and Reception

As a part of its outreach series, St. Louis River: Past, Present and Future, the St. Louis River Alliance is co-hosting a reception along with Great Lakes Aquarium to showcase the achievements and progress that have occurred since the river was listed as an Area of Concern on the Great Lakes. This event will be held at Great Lakes Aquarium Thursday, March 21 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

 This event features an exhibit currently on display at Great Lakes Aquarium, called, The Return of the River: The History of the St Louis River & the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD).  This exhibit was to tell the story of one of the river’s most significant achievements. Undeniably, the greatest impact on water quality in the river was improvements to wastewater treatment.  Prior to the 1970’s untreated sewage and industrial waste were significant sources of pollution in the river. When WLSSD began its operations in 1978, the river’s water quality improved quickly. The exhibit was produced by WLSSD in partnership with the St. Louis County Historical Society and funded in part by Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program.