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 Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, is building a permanent water outlet structure. Once it's up and running, the outlet will allow water to flow from the Canisteo via gravity to the Prairie River, maintaining Canisteo’s water levels year-round without relying on seasonal pumping. The outlet is expected to be substantially completed by August 2025.
Winter pumping has been a short-term solution to control the water levels at the Canisteo. In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature approved $8.875 million to construct an outlet at the Canisteo. This winter, construction crews have been working near Itasca County Highway 61, removing trees, moving an iron ore stockpile, and clearing land along the outlet path. The crews are working on ditching and installing culverts along the outlet route, starting in the west and progressing east.
The outlet system is equipped with a sand filtration mechanism. As water from the Canisteo moves through the pipeline, it passes through several layers of sand with varying grain sizes. This automated system will capture invasive organisms such as zebra mussels to prevent them from entering the Prairie River.
The DNR does not plan to open public access at the Canisteo. While the contractors build the permanent water outlet, residents of Bovey, Coleraine, and Taconite might notice workers using public roads to reach the Canisteo and nearby areas.
Additionally, people need to obtain permission from landowners if they plan to explore any nearby areas. Learn more about the water outlet construction project on the DNR’s Canisteo webpage.
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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 Canisteo rose due to groundwater and precipitation. In 2022, the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation funded a water pumping project that was managed by the DNR. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 4.7 billion gallons of water were pumped from Canisteo into Holman Lake and a wetland complex. Winter pumping has kept water levels below 1,318 feet, helping the Bovey drain tile system divert groundwater away from residential areas. Seasonal pumping has been used as an interim approach to controlling Canisteo’s water levels until a permanent water outlet is in place.