Characteristics of the Duluth-Superior Harbor and Lake Superior
Abstract
The twin ports of Superior, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota were founded at the head of the world's
greatest continuous mass of freshwater. The Laurentian Great Lakes contain about 20% of the world's
freshwater resources. Half of that water is contained in the largest and most pristine
of these lakes - Lake Superior. The tremendous size and purity of this water body make it one of
the world's unique aquatic ecosystems. In addition to this resource, the Superior-Duluth harbor is
protected by the largest natural inland sand bar in the world. Minnesota and Wisconsin Points, with
a com bined length of over 9 miles, serve to protect what has become one of the largest and
busiest ports in the world. The estuary itself contains over 11,500 acres of water and is fed by
many small tributaries and two major river systems, the Nemadji and the St. Louis. The St. Louis
River is the largest U.S. tributary to Lake Superior (See Figure 1).
Subject
Duluth Superior Harbor
Lake Superior