Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group

Rip currents are strong, narrow channels of water that flow out, away from shore. They tend to occur near sandy beaches, where trenches and breaks in the sandbar form off the shoreline on the lake bottom. These powerful, channeled currents often develop because of high wind, waves, shoreline structures (such as piers), and weather phenomena.  Rip currents can pull even the strongest swimmers far from the shore, at an average speed of approximately 2 feet per second.

The Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group has developed multiple ways to reach people heading to Duluth’s beaches including websites such as ParkPointBeach.org, warning flags at Duluth-area beaches, a rip current information kiosk at the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, beach rescue stations along Minnesota Point, demonstrations at safety expos, beach safety presentations to tourism businesses, and participation in the yearly St. Louis River Quest program that reaches thousands of sixth-graders every year. Together, we’ve accomplished a lot and - we hope - saved lives.

Minnesota Sea Grant's participation and leadership in the Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group supports our mission to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources in order to create a sustainable economy and environment.

During the summer of 2020, the Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group continued to support the ParkPointBeach.org website and the daily placement of beach hazard flags along Duluth's Park Point Beach. For beach goers who head to Park Point Beach without a device or means to check the beach forecast, there are a series of warning flags placed along the road leading to the Park Point Beach beach house.

• Low risk (green flag) indicates risk of rip currents is low. However, life-threatening rip currents often occur in the vicinity of jetties, reefs, and piers.
• Moderate risk (yellow flag) indicates that life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone.
• High risk (red flag) indicates that life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone.

The swim hazard risk gives details about rip currents and is taken directly from the National Weather Service surf zone forecast.

The Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group seeks to serve the public who visits and uses Lake Superior in the Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin area.

In-kind support for the Twin Ports Rip Current Working Group is provided by Minnesota Sea Grant, city of Duluth Parks and Recreation, the Duluth Fire Department, Duluth Y, Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Duluth. Project partners are listed below.