Canoe capsizes at Island Lake Dam, bystanders help rescue two Duluth residents

Strong currents at Island Lake Dam north of Duluth sent two canoeists into the water Saturday morning, but quick help from anglers on shore helped end the emergency without a fatality. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the capsize was reported at about 8:18 a.m. to 8:20 a.m., and the response involved multiple agencies.

The canoe carried a 61-year-old Duluth woman and a 63-year-old Duluth man, both wearing life jackets. Shore anglers pulled the woman from the water after the canoe overturned. The man was pulled under by the current, but he made it back to shore. First responders treated him and then transported him to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The woman did not appear to be hurt.

The rescue underscored how quickly conditions near a dam can shift from routine to dangerous. WDIO reported that the incident was triggered by a canoe capsize in strong currents at the dam, and safety guidance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers warns that water near dams can look calm while concealing strong currents, undertows and eddies. That risk is especially important at busy recreation spots where paddlers and anglers share the same stretch of water.

Island Lake Dam sits on the Cloquet River as part of Minnesota Power’s hydroelectric project, and the area is used for canoeing, fishing and other recreation. Minnesota DNR water-trail information says river levels on the Cloquet River depend on releases from Island Lake Dam, with minimum flows set for May and June to support paddling. Minnesota Power’s recreation map for Island Lake Reservoir shows canoe portage and access at the dam, a reminder that the site is a known transition point for boaters who need to move carefully around the waterway.

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Boat and Water Safety Division handles boating enforcement, patrol and search-and-rescue work across the county, putting it at the center of incidents like Saturday’s rescue. At Island Lake Dam, the combination of moving water, a dam structure and changing river conditions made a familiar local destination hazardous in a matter of moments.