“Minnesota Health Department researchers in the 1950s had to dig through paper mill waste clogging the Rainy River to find water” (MPCA report wq-ws1-33)The Rainy River is a remarkable story of recovery from pollution. In decades gone by, pollution from paper mills and raw sewage severely harmed the river, its fish populations and recreational potential.
Starting in the 1970s, pollution regulations have led to a dramatic change. It is now a “recovering river in need of protection” according to a report released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) this past summer. The report summarizes the results of the MPCA’s three-year intensive monitoring study of this river that provides more than 70% of the water to Lake of the Woods.
In general, the report finds that the Rainy River is now a high-quality resource in good condition, although is listed as impaired for fish consumption due to elevated mercury in fish, similar to many lakes and rivers in our region. The report concludes that with restoration successful, it is now critical to protect this river and the streams and landscapes that feed it.
The report can be downloaded from the MPCA website at: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/rainy-river-recovering