EPA Research Partner Support Story: Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization (R2R2R) to improve Pickle Pond
Partners: City of Superior (WI) Parks, Recreation, and Forestry; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR); St. Louis River Area of Concern; Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve; University of Minnesota-Duluth Natural Resources Research
Challenge: The contamination of Pickle Pond by runoff and invasive plants
Resource: EPA’s Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization (R2R2R) approach to improve Pickle Pond for the benefit of the local community
Project Period: 2022 – Present
The origin of Pickle Pond in Superior, Wisconsin dates back to the 1800s when a railroad construction project cut it off from the rest of Barker’s Bay. Isolated and sheltered from the larger bay, it became a unique area in the lower estuary that provides a habitat to both native plants and wildlife. However, it did not endure as a healthy ecosystem. Over the years, contamination from diverted sewage and runoff from the increasingly urban surrounding watershed have significantly reduce the water quality of Pickle Pond.
“Environmental stressors and restricted access have impacted public interests in the Pickle Pond for more than 130 years. The Wisconsin DNR is extremely grateful for the efforts of the ORD to evaluate the pond’s ecological health and human connections to it before and after the construction of the restoration project. We are excited by the opportunity to see the restoration efforts bear fruit and the application of good science to evaluate changes in the condition and use of the site. EPA has been a great partner and their assistance in reaching the community through signs posted at the site and by hosting a website with project information and updates has played an important role in the success of this collaboration.” – Wisconsin DNR Project Manager Joe Graham
Researchers from EPA’s Great Lakes Toxicology and Exposure Laboratory study the benefits of coastal wetlands restoration in the urban Great Lakes Estuary, including Pickle Pond which is considered an Area of Concern. The studies revealed Pickle Pond provided an ideal opportunity to expand the EPA’s understanding of how the local human community would respond to the restoration of a recreational coastal wetland area. It is the first of the Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization (R2R2R) projects planned which incorporates community engagement both pre- and post-restoration. Researchers have been and will continue conducting intercept surveys to understand how visitors’ experiences at the site change during and after the project. In early 2022, EPA researchers began collaborating with the City of Superior and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to design a project plan for restoration.
In May 2023, remediation actions started, beginning with dredging to remove contamination and deepen the pond to enhance the fish habitat. In addition, abandoned railroad tracks are being removed from the causeway to prevent continuing rust and other related contaminants from reaching the pond through runoff.
In addition to improving conditions for fish, the work will enhance the coastal habitat for native vegetation and improve connectivity between the pond and the St. Louis River Estuary. It is also projected that stormwater inputs to the pond will be reduced and trails, water access, and wildlife/scenic viewing locations may be created, all either as part of the project or by partner organizations after the initial project is complete.
The R2R2R methods used in the Pickle Pond project will create benefits for local communities—both human and wildlife—with direct links to the river estuary. What the research team and their partners learn will also inform future planning efforts and improve the evaluation of project goals for future restoration projects in the St. Louis River Estuary.