Grand Marais, Minnesota

The harbor village of Grand Marais, Minnesota is set on a landscape etched from the oldest exposed rock on the earth by glacial ice and the water in its two natural harbors and the inland sea of Lake Superior beyond. The lake is as captivating as it is dramatic - crashing waves one day; stunning silence the next. An ever-changing play of light and color between the water and the sky has drawn visitors and artists to this rugged shore again and again in every season of the year.

Yet the lake is only one side of the story. Grand Marais sits nestled against the dramatic backdrop of the Sawtooth Mountains on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Superior National Forest. Visitors and locals alike enjoy some of the finest hiking, canoeing and skiing in the nation. It is surrounded by millions of acres of lush forests graced with rocky cliffs, serene inland lakes, streams and thundering waterfalls that empty into Lake Superior. Wildlife abounds in the forest; the lakes and streams are alive with fish. Besides The these year-round recreational activities, the city offers access to scenic drives, cultural events and festivals, quaint shops and art galleries, and fine dining. (Sources: www.grandmarais.com and www.grandmaraismn.com)

The Official city website includes city contacts and links for Information on the library, golf course and Parks and Recreation Department; also links to city related organizations and tourist information

Grand Marais Environment

•   Grand Marais Regional Development and the Environment
  • Grand Marais: Sustainability on the North Shore (2000) (1.8 MB pdf)
    This case study highlights perennial debate over economic development and environmental sustainability. The authors contend that Grand Marais as a community has made some wise decisions supporting sustainable development.
  • MNDNR List of Issues for Consideration in Grand Marais Harbor Planning (2005)
  • Cook County government services oversee water management for Cook County in which Grand Marais is located. Find contact information and relevant water planning documents on the Soil and Water services page of the city website.
•   Photos

  Try out our new aerial photo viewer to see more images like these of the entire North Shore.

Stormwater Information

• Cook County Stormwater Management Ordinance (2006)
  This page has links to the ordinance and a Statement of Need and Reasonableness (or SONAR). The SONAR discusses the problems the ordinance seeks to address, the causes of the problems, and why the ordinance is the best method for addressing the problems and their causes.

• A Landowners Guide to Conservation Management (1.8 MB pdf)
• NEMO – Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials
• Stormwater Program for Construction Activity
  MPCA site that provides links to permitting requirements, fact or guidance sheets, special waters and impaired waters, ordinance examples and training opportunities.
• MPCAs Stormwater Compliance Assistance Toolkit for Small Construction Operators (2008) (0.6 MB pdf) Begins with a summary of the requirements of Minnesota's federally mandated NPDES/SDS General Stormwater permit for Construction. A helpful information brochure aimed at controlling sediment erosion during construction, follows.

Contact Local Decision Makers

Public Health and other Environmental Information

•   Public and Environmental Health
  • Source Water Assessment for Grand Marais (2002) (238 KB pdf)
    is a document required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The assessment was carried out under the auspices of the Minnesota Department of Health and provides:
    1. a general description of the area which supplies water to the Silver Bay water utility;
    2. an overview of why this water supply is susceptible to potential contaminants;
    3. a description of the contaminants of concern which may impact water quality; and
    4. to the extent practical, the origins of these contaminants.
  • Tap Water Quality
    for the community is available as a detailed report that lists individual pollutants; these in turn can be individually clicked to find information on potential sources of pollutant, a health impact summary, a testing summary and a violation summary. Further information on permissible levels and summaries of state and national hot spots for the particular pollutant can be called up also. More detailed information is also available in the drinking water and wastewater sections of our website.

  • Minnesota Lake Superior Beach Monitoring Program
    Provides water quality information based on indicator bacteria (fecal coliform and E. coli) concentrations for Minnesota's public Lake Superior beaches. Tabs at top of the home page provide additional information on the monitoring program, the science behind the program and advice on how to help prevent beach contamination. Includes a novel mapping utility to "see" the sampling sites and their current data and a unique data visualization tool for viewing the data over time or comparing it to other sites and other measurements. There are a number of beach sites monitored in the Grand Marais area:

    

•   Maps, Demography, Climate
  • Interactive map of Grand Marais
  • Statistical information
    Demographics, economics, housing, education, climate and more. Similar information is available in differing formats here and here (a narrative format supported with charts, also identifies regional services supporting Grand Marais).
  • Weather Report that includes current conditions, 5 day forecast, radar based weather maps, astronomical information (e.g. moon phase and times of sunrise and sunset)