Canisteo Mine Pit in Itasca Co. to Soon Have Permanent Water Outlet

After pumping out more than 4.7 billion gallons of water from the Canisteo Mine Pit in Itasca County to manage the pit’s water levels, the Minnesota DNR, in partnership with the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, is building a permanent water outlet structure.

The Canisteo is a mine pit that has naturally filled with water over the years since mining has stopped, and no company is responsible for dewatering the pit. Over time, the water levels in the Canisteo rose due to groundwater and precipitation.

Once the permanent water outlet structure is up and running, the outlet will allow water to flow from the Canisteo without relying on seasonal pumping.

“Constructing the outlet on the Canisteo pit will allow the water to just outflow via gravity, and so the DNR will no longer have to pump during the winter months,” explained DNR Mine Permitting and Coordination Supervisor Erika Herr.

“The design will take into account a sand filtration system which will then remove any invasive species—or example, zebra mussels as the water makes it to its discharge location, ultimately preventing zebra mussels or any invasive species from entering the Prairie River,” added Mike Liljegren, DNR Lands and Minerals Division Assistant Director. “The full project started construction the end of February for the full design, with a potential completion date for the end of August, first part of September.

The state legislature appropriated the DNR $8.875 million in 2023 to construct the outlet.