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DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR FRESHWATER CORROSION MIC STUDY UPDATE (July 2008)
The 2006-2007 microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) research preliminary findings and study updates (Structures of Bacterial Communities Associated with Accelerated Corrosive Loss of Port Transportation Infrastructure, a report to the GLMRI) have been released. MIC laboratory investigations are being conducted by Dr. Randall Hicks at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Initial results demonstrated that bacterial communities on the corroded steel in the most affected part of the harbor are different from bacterial communities on these structures at a less affected area just outside the harbor. A bacterium that oxides iron (from Fe2+ to Fe3+) was isolated from the corroding structures. While the preliminary research may indicate that MIC may be responsible for the accelerated corrosion, conclusive evidence has not yet been found. Follow this link for detailed study information or click on the GLMRI report title to go directly to the report. Additional research continues and can followed on Dr. Hicks lab web site at http://www.d.umn.edu/~rhicks/lab/Home.html under “current projects”.

DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR FRESHWATER CORROSION UPDATE (May 2008)
The 2007 coupon tray installation work report and database summary spreadsheets have been released and are now online. The project report “ACOE SAMPLE TRAY INSTALLATION” was completed by AMI Consulting Engineers P.A. which installed steel coupon trays at eight locations throughout the Duluth/Superior harbor in the fall of 2007. Following up on the earlier 2006 tray installations, AMI installed eight new trays of steel samples that can be removed as needed. Each tray contains four uncoated and four coated steel samples. The updated project summaries of the collected water quality data throughout the harbor “Harbor Water Quality Database” as well as the existing steel structures database “Harbor Structures Database” are also now online. Pictures of the 2007 coupon retrieval work, new 2007 harbor corrosion pictures as well as pictures of steel corrosion observed at other Great Lakes harbors and marinas have also been added in the “Project Photos” section. Follow this link for detailed study information or click on the titles to go directly to each specific item of interest.

NEW 2008 CORROSION PROJECT STUDIES TO START (May 2008)
$130,000 from two new State of Wisconsin grants and an additional $280,000 from the US Army Corps of Engineers will fund several new corrosion studies to start this summer. A $100,000 grant from the Wisconsin Legislature, a $30,000 grant from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and an additional $280,000 from the federal Water Resources Development Act to the US Army Corps of Engineers will fund up to twelve new tests or continuation of existing tests. Besides continued testing to determine the cause or causes for the accelerated corrosion, several of the new studies will begin to investigate methods for protecting new or existing steel structures from the damaging corrosion process. Follow this link for more details of anticipated corrosion studies to be either continued or initiated in 2008.

NEW UW SEA GRANT SEDIMENT REMEDIATION GUIDE (FEBRUARY 2008)
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute has recently published a 50 page booklet titled: “Deciding About Sediment Remediation: A step-by-step guide to making the decisions by Philip Keillor, Editor.” This booklet is for those who are considering (or involved in planning) expensive clean-up of contaminated sediments.The booklet describes a step-by-step sequence of decisions to determine whether, and how, to clean up contaminated sediments, or to let natural recovery occur. More than that, the booklet summarizes the pioneering work of 26 researchers at four universities in the Great Lakes Basin; a project group who laid a foundation for numerical simulation of sediment remediation processes and cost optimization of sediment cleanup projects. The booklet is available in a paper copy (at $20 U.S.) or as a free download (.pdf document) at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications.Click on “Contaminants” in the sidebar, on the left sidebar for this booklet and related publications, then click on the book title for a brief description, the free download, or purchase options. A direct download of the book is at: http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/SedimentRemediation.pdf

DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR FRESHWATER CORROSION UPDATE (SEPTEMBER 2007)
2006 Field Investigation Reports Now Online
The project study results and final investigation reports have been released and are now online. The two reports provide details and field investigation data resulting from the 2006 project field work. The first report “Final Report – Duluth Corrosion Investigation – Duluth Harbor” was completed by Altech Environmental Services, INC and focused on the collection of water quality data throughout the harbor as well as documenting the existing condition of the steel structures (Federal structure locations) using non-destructive test methods. The second report “DSPA Corrosion Investigation Report” was completed by AMI Consulting Engineers P.A. which focused on the investigations and data collections on the non-Federal structures. The two separate investigations were completed to separate the Federal structures from the non-Federal structures (due to separate funding sources) and were coordinated efforts to the total project investigation. Follow this link for detailed study information or click on the above report titles to go directly to each report.

DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR FRESHWATER CORROSION (FEBRUARY 2007)
2006 Field Investigations Completed
Utilizing project study appropriations from the State of Minnesota and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the first year of field investigations into the accelerated freshwater corrosion problem in the Duluth/Super harbor were completed. The investigations focused on water quality sampling, structure cataloging and underwater inspection, corrosion product sampling, MIC studies, instantaneous corrosion rate measurements and initial coating product tests. In addition, coupons (small steel plates) were placed in the corrosion zone at several locations throughout the harbor and will be periodically sampled in subsequent years for rates of corrosion and evidence of MIC. Follow these links for detailed study information and field investigation photos.

Preliminary study results from the 2006 field investigations are currently being peer reviewed but are not yet available. Results will be posted as soon as they are released.

In 2007, the steering committee plans to continue the instantaneous corrosion rate measurements, continue the MIC studies and also initiate a series of coating tests to evaluate the use of various types of protective coatings to protect the steel from corrosion. These coating tests will focus on both the application of coating materials to existing structures as well as further testing of coatings applied to new steel before it is placed into the harbor structures.

WORKSHOP ON INNOVATIVE SHORE PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY (JULY 2006)
A workshop on innovative shore protection technology was held earlier this year (February 22-23, 2006) in Tallahassee, Florida. The workshop was organized and hosted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems. The department encourages the development of new and innovative methods of solving beach erosion problems and recognizes that many new technologies exist but have insufficient information available about their effectiveness or potential impacts to beaches and other shoreline features. The workshop’s goals were: read more...

UW SEA GRANT HOSTS 2006 GREAT LAKES RIP CURRENT CONFERENCE (JUNE 2006)
The annual Great Lakes Rip Current Conference was held this year on June 6th in Manitowoc, WI at the Inn on Maritime Bay. The past several years this annual conference has been hosted by Michigan Sea Grant at various locations around Michigan. This year’s agenda included: read more...

TWO NEW GREAT LAKES COASTAL ENGINERING BOOKLETS PUBLISHED (July 2005)
Two new booklets have been recently published by Wisconsin Sea Grant and are now available. Stabilizing Coastal Slopes on the Great Lakes is a 12 page booklet providing valuable information on many of the causes of Great Lakes shoreline property slope failures and methods to improve slope stability. Working with Engineers and Contractors on Shore Protection Projects is a four page booklet which provides information for shoreline property owners on how to select and work with shore protection design professionals and contractors. Both booklets are free of charge from Wisconsin Sea Grant and can be obtained by going to http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications.

What's New Archives

Rip Current Awareness Week: June 5-11, 2005
What's Up (or Down) with the Lake Michigan-Lake Huron Water Level Report? (March 2005)
Accelerated Freshwater Corrosion Report for Duluth/Superior Harbor Completed (March 2005)
Living on the Coast Booklet Published (2004)