Lake Vermilion Study

The Sportsmen's Club of Lake Vermilion initiated a study to see if the taconite tailing basins in the area were having an effect on the lake's water quality.

Indications

We found elevated levels of iron, magnesium, lead and sodium, but it appears that these increases are the result of air pollution and local activities. Our research also indicated that the level of phosphorus, which is the number one contributor to algae growth in Minnesota lakes, has nearly tripled since European settlement of the area. Modern algal assemblages reflect a much more productive condition than pre-European times. Tests also indicated that mercury levels in the sediments are extremely low or approximately 0.1 ppm.