Swans are dying in Vadnais Heights' Sucker Lake Channel — and county leaders have figured out why

At least 26 swans have been found dead since 2019 along the Sucker Lake Channel in Vadnais Heights, a spot where the waterfowl gather on water that remains open in winter.

The culprit, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation officials say, is lead that enters the channel — also a popular fishing spot — via fishing tackle, like jigs and sinkers, that swans end up eating. All the dead swans that have been tested for lead have been positive, said Michael Goodnature, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation natural resources manager.

On Wednesday, Ramsey County Parks and Recreation held a virtual meeting to raise awareness of the issue and solicit feedback on how to fix it.

At the meeting, residents of the area around Sucker Lake said the swans are an attraction. One reported seeing 293 in the channel, located on the north side of Sucker Lake, at one time.

Past efforts to reduce the amount of lead tackle going into the channel have yielded some results, but haven't stopped the death of swans, officials said.

Signs warning against lead tackle have been installed as well as a drop box to collect lead fishing tackle, which parks officials said anglers do use. There have also been pop-up events to raise awareness and hand out lead-free tackle. But some anglers continue to use lead tackle and swans continue to die.

"[We've been] hoping to see some evidence that the the rate of the death of swans has gone down, and we really haven't," said Kristopher Lencowski, Ramsey County Parks parks and trails division operations director.

The meeting Wednesday was designed to gather information from people who live and play in the area about how they and others use the park, and how officials might balance recreational uses of the channel and protect wildlife.

A presentation about the issue and a survey for those who couldn't make the meting is available online.