The south ST. Louis soil and water conservation district will design and implement the removal of two barrier culverts and the replacement of one with a stream-simulation crossing on coffee creek, a…

Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 awarded a $1.35 million Cooperative Agreement to South St. Louis Soil & Water Conservation District on October 1, 2026, under the Geographic Programs - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (CFDA 66.469) to design and implement the removal of two barrier culverts and replacement of one with a stream-simulation crossing on Coffee Creek, a cold-water tributary to Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota.

The district will conduct final engineering design, environmental review and permitting, competitive bidding, culvert removal and replacement, substrate installation, floodplain reconnection, and site stabilization. Deliverables include a quality assurance project plan, final design documents, one culvert replacement, one full barrier removal, as-built documentation, and a final report. The work is expected to reconnect approximately 1.4 miles of upstream cold-water habitat, improve access to thermal refugia for brook trout and other native species, reestablish sediment transport processes, improve channel stability, and decrease flood risk to infrastructure.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029. Work is performed in Duluth, Minnesota. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds efforts to restore and maintain the environmental integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem in accordance with the Clean Water Act and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

The south ST. Louis soil and water conservation district will design and implement the removal of two barrier culverts and the replacement of one with a stream-simulation crossing on coffee creek, a cold-water tributary to lake superior in duluth, minnesota, to restore aquatic connectivity and improve stream function. Activities:the activities include final engineering design, environmental review and permitting, competitive bidding, culvert removal and replacement, substrate installation, floodplain reconnection, and site stabilization. Subrecipient:subaward activities include implementation of barrier removals through procurement and contract administration in partnership with and under the oversight of south ST. Louis soil and water conservation district. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include a quality assurance project plan, final design documents, one culvert replacement, one full barrier removal, as-built documentation, and a final report. The expected outcomes include reconnection of approximately 1.4 miles of upstream cold-water habitat, improved access to thermal refugia for brook trout and other native species, reestablished sediment transport processes, improved channel stability, and decreased flood risk to infrastructure. The intended beneficiaries include native fish populations, the ST. Louis river watershed, and those who live, work, and recreate in the city of duluth.