Spirit Mountain Water Infrastructure Project

Challenge

Spirit Mountain Recreation Area was making snow using 65-70 million gallons of treated, potable water from the City of Duluth each year. It was both expensive and unnecessary.

Solution

A new system was created to pump water from a nearby river, up the mountain, and onto the slopes. In the spring, the system reverses direction and directs snow melt back to the river. The system can cover the entire ski hill in half the time it did previously, while saving the City $200,000 every year in water costs.