ADVISORY BOARD ON WATER POLLUTION, RAINY RIVER AND LAKE OF THE WOODS INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION UNITED STATES AND CANADA POLLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY WATERS * % 0 1960-1962 INVESTIGATIONS RAINY RIVER AND LAKE OF THE WOODS MINNESOTA AND ONTARIO APRIL 1963 Printed in the United States for Public Health Service by General Services Administration. CONTENTS Letter of Transmittal ---------------- Acknowledgments ...................... Advisory Board on Water Pollution, Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, International Joint Commission, Membership .......................... iii personnel ........................... iiii Findings and Recommendations --------- Chapter I Initiation of the Investigation ------ Chapter I1 General Description ------------------ Chapter I11 Hydrometric Data ..................... Chapter IV Uses of Boundary Waters -------------- Chapter V Water-Borne Diseases ----------------- Chapter VI Sources and Character of Pollution --- Chapter VII Pollution Effects on Boundary Water Quality ....................... Chapter VIII Transboundary Movement of Pollution -- Chapter IX Discussion of Findings and Remedial Measures ---------------------m-m---- Chapter X Appendices 1. Glossary 2. References 3. Bibliography LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (Rainy River and Lake of the Woods Section) To the International Joint Commission United States and Canada The Advisory Board submits herewith its report on pollution of the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods Section of the International Boundary Waters covered by reference . to the Commission dated May 30, 1959. Pursuant to the appointment of the Advisory Board on October 8, 1959, technical investigations and studies over a threeyear period have covered those aspects of pollution deemed necessary for the Commission to answer the questions contained in the reference referred to them from the Governments of Canada and the United States. Respectfully submitted, ADVISORY BOARD ON POLLUTION OF BOUNDARY WATERS - RAINY RIVER AND LAKE OF THE WOODS - United States - L. F. Warrick Canada - W. R. Edmonds Chairman Chairman. United States Canada L. F. WARRICK J. R. MENZIES Chairman Chairman (1959 - December 9, 1961) H. C. CLARE W. R. EDMONDS S. A. FRELLSEN Chairman H. G. ROGERS, R. E. TAIT (1959 - March 9, 1962) A, E. BERRY LYLE H. SMITH F. A. VOEGE April 4, 1963 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . Valuable assistance has been rendered during this investigation, by the various municipalities and industries as well as several State, Provincial, and Federal agencies on both sides of the boundary. Special acknowledgment is made to the following: On the United States side to: Minnesota Department of Health Division of Environmental Sanitation Section of Water Pollution Control Section of Engineering ~aboratories Minnesota Department of Conservation Division of Waters and Division of Game and Fish Section of Research and Planning Minnesota Department of Agriculture City of International Falls, Minnesota Minnesota and Ontario Paper Company International Falls, Minnesota Otto W. Kuehne, Chief Operator, Waste Treatment Plant ~nternational'~alls,Minnesota Owen CharLton, Operator, Waste Treatment Plant Williams, Minnesota and on the Canadian side to: Laboratory of Hygiene Department of National Health & Welfare Ottawa, Canada ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Continued) Water Resources Branch Department of Northern Affairs & National Resources Ottawa, Canada Town of Fort Frances Ontario Department of Agriculture Ontario Department of Health Ontario ~epartmentof Lands and Forests Ontario Minnesota Pulp and Paper Company, Ltd., Fort Frances Fort Frances Brewing Company, Ltd. Be'cks Beverages, Ltd., Fort Frances Fort Frances Dairy Border Dairy, Fort Frances ADVISORY BOARD ON WATER POLLUTION RAINY RIVER AND LAKE OF THE WOODS INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION -For Canada William R. Edmonds (Chairman), Department of National Health and Welfare, Ottawa Robert E. Tait, Department of ~ationalHealth and Welfare,.Ottawa --For the United States Louis F. Warrick (chairman), U. S, Public .Health Service, Washington, D. C. Herbert C. Clare, U. S. Public Health Service Regional Office, Kansas City, Missouri -For Ontario Albert E. .Berry, Ontario Water Resources Commission, Toronto Fred A. Voege, Ontario Water Resources Commission, Toronto -For Minnesota Lyle H. Smith, Water Pollution control Commission, Minneapolis Sidney A. Frellsen, Minnesota Department of conservation, Division of Waters, St. Paul PERSObTNEL The personnel assigned to conduct the field work in the 1960-62 investigation were made available by the U. S. Public Health Service, the Department of National Health and Welfare of Canada, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Ontario Water Resource's Commission, as follows: Canadian Field Staff Canadian National Health & Welfare Donald Atwell Student Assistant Rudolph Holowaty, B. Sc. Ciiemist David Jack, M.Sc. Engineer C. H. McBratney, B. Sc. Chemist W. R. Pringle, B.Sc. Engineer John E. Reid, M.Sc. Bacteriologist L. J. Rockwell, B.A. Technician Frank Smart Student Assistant 0. J. Storsater, M.A.Sc. Engineer Alan D. Tennant, Ph.D. Bacteriologist R. T. Thomson Student Assistant Fred Theaker Student Assistant Stanley Whittaker Sanitarian John Wheatley Student Assistant Ontario Water Resources Commission W. Gerald Cousins, M.A. Sc. Engineer F. James Dart, B-A-Sc. Eng ineer John J. Evans Technician Nilliam kc. Flynn Technician Ronald D. Gibson Technician Glen Hardcastle Student Assistant Alan J. Harris, M.A.Sc. Engineer Gordon J. Hopkins Technician J. Hutcheson Student Assistant Joseph Kavaliauskas - Techn.ician Henry Kronis Student Assistant '1'. Metzing . Student Assistant Richard H. Millest, M.A.Sc. Engineer John 13. Neil, M.A., CPH Biologist Raymond C. Stewart, B.A.Sc. Engineer Paul Xilson Student Assistant Marlc Zaremba Student Assistant United States Field Staff Public Health Service , Gerald W. Lawton, Ph.D. Chemist, in Charge, 1960 Orlando Ruschmeyer, M. S. Biologist, in Charge, 1961 Calvin Fremling, Ph. D. Biologist, in Charge, 1962 I .. John Briese Engineering Aide Donald Evans Engineering Aide John W. Gilje Chemist Aide Gale L. Hubred Engineering Aide R. W. Klippel Engineering Aide James W. Lavin Engineering.Aide Roscoe W. Libby Engineer Joe K. Neel, Ph. D. Biologist Meredith Saxer , ~ngineeringAide Lawrence A. Schrnid Engineering Aide Minnesota Department of Health Jerry C. Hillestad Public Health Engineering Aide W. F. Hodgins, B.F.A. Public Health Engineering Aide C. A. Johannes, B.Ch.E. Public Health Engineer Charles Kiester, B. S. C. E. Assistant Public Health Engineer Public Health Engineering Aide L. E. Richie, B.A. Geologist Robert A. Spicer, B.S. Public Health Biologist Minnesota Department of Conservation Donald Olson, .B.S. District Fisheries Biologist Chapter I Findings and Recommendations The investigation of pollution of the boundary waters of Rainy River and Lake of the Woods has extended over the period from June 1960 to September 1962. In that time a comprehensive examination has been made of many phases of pollution, and relevant information has been obtained from many sources. These data have been studiel-: and conclusions reached on the questions contained in the terms of reference to the International Joint Commission by the governments of the two countries. This study has involved unique and complex problems. The previous investigation in 1913 was a pioneering effort in the evaluation of bacteriological pollution. In the intervening years these waters have assumed an important role in serving numerous uses on a boundary between two countries where healthful 1 iving, commerce, and recreation have attained a high level of development. These activities have focused attention on two necessities: first the recognized need for clean waters, and secondly, the serious problem of attaining this objective. The steady increase in urban population, the marked increase in production of paper products., and the prospects for future industrial and recreational development give rise to involved and compli- cated requirements both for the investigation and solution of this situation. The cost is high for correction, but it is higher for continuance of the defilement of these waters. The investigation has enabled the Advisory Board on Water Pollution, Rainy River and' Lake of the Woods, to reach certain conclusions on the findings and to offer recommendations to the Commission for remedial measures. The findings of the Board are discussed in Chapter S and are summarized herewith. Findings. '1. These waters are seriously polluted in many places on both sides of the boundary. Serious pollution exists in the entire river downstream from Fort Frances and International Falls. ., 2. There is a transfer of pollution from each side of the boundary to the other. This has been demonstrated by float studies and by analytical results. 3. Conditions conducive to injury to health and property exist on both sides of.the boundary. This has been manifested in the following ways: a. Health - A potential menace is present where waters polluted to the extent of these are used for domestic purposes. The extent of pollution of these waters is such that they cannot be safely used. as a potable water supply without complete and continuously effective treatment. Furthermore, they are so polluted in most areas so as to render them unsafe for recrea- tional bathing purposes. The pollutants present in these.boundary waters must be considered an actual and potential health hazard, whether they be transmitted through public water supplies, bathing beaches,