Big Sandy Lake Dam is a significant hazard dam located on the Sandy River in Aitkin County, Minnesota, 1.25 miles upstream of the junction between the Sandy River and Mississippi River. The dam’s original purpose was to provide supplemental flow to the Mississippi River during periods of low river stages for navigation. Construction of the locks and dams downstream of Minneapolis in the 1930s reduced the need for upstream storage for navigation, and since then Sandy Lake Dam’s purpose has shifted to flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife conservation, and water supply.
Published: 10/1/2018
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the Federal lead on the Asian carp issue. The Corps’ Great Lakes and Ohio River Division is the Corps lead. The Corps' headquarters is developing an Asian Carp Emergency Response standard operating procedure under the authority of Section 1039 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act or WRRDA. of 2014 (P.L. 113--121) to prevent Asian carp from getting past the Brandon Road lock and dam on the Ohio River system. This plan is being developed in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. The plan includes rapid response protocols, monitoring, and other countermeasures. This will likely be extended to other river systems.
Published: 9/12/2016
Under the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is authorized to plan, design and construct certain types of water resource and ecosystem restoration projects without additional and specific congressional authorization. The purpose is to implement projects of limited scope and complexity. Each authority has specific guidelines and total program and per-project funding limits. Studies are cost-shared 50/50 during feasibility. Most projects are cost-shared 65 percent Federal and 35 percent non-Federal during implementation, unless otherwise noted.
Published: 2/26/2015
This project formulates a plan to stabilize the river bank adjacent to Sheldon Road in order to protect the bridge from eroding into the Sheyenne River. This project is located where Sheldon Road crosses over the Sheyenne River approximately 4.75 miles south of Sheldon, North Dakota.
Published: 4/3/2020
The study area is located in a rural setting in Polk County, Minnesota, 275 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Sand Hill River basin is centrally located in the Red River Valley watershed. A major reach of the river downstream of Fertile, Minnesota, was the subject of a flood control project constructed by the Corps of Engineers from 1955 to 1958. It involved straightening the river and constructing several drop structures and served as a drainage improvement to local agriculture. Overall, more than 18 miles of the Sand Hill River was straightened or abandoned.
Published: 2/26/2015
Painter Creek is part of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, which includes part of the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and its western and northwestern suburbs. The Painter Creek Watershed has been extensively drained and ditched as a result of increasing demand for agriculture. This caused a loss of wetland and riparian habitat and increased sediment and nutrient loads downstream into Jennings Bay on Lake Minnetonka. Due to the presence of the ditch system, the frequency of which the wetlands are inundated from stream flows has decreased benefits to the habitat and water quality.
Published: 3/14/2016
The study area is located in a rural setting in Wilkin County just to the east of Breckenridge, Minnesota, approximately 180 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Otter Tail River is located in the upper portion of the Red River Valley watershed. A major reach of the river upstream of Breckenridge, Minnesota, was the subject of a flood control project constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1950’s. It involved straightening, cleaning enlarging the river for drainage improvement to local agriculture. The overall length of the river in this reach was reduced from 18 miles to 11 miles as a result of the project. The straightened channel decreased channel length, increased channel grade, increased channel conveyance, increased bank erosion, and reduced the flood profiles in the lower Otter Tail River watershed.
Published: 9/12/2016
Pigs Eye Lake is located in Ramsey County, just east of downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Pigs Eye Lake is located in upper Pool 2 of the Mississippi River. Due to the lake’s close proximity to the Mississippi River, water level is controlled by the level of the river. The lake is located in the Mississippi River Bottomlands subwatershed.
Published: 2/26/2015
Lake Pepin extends about 22 miles in length from the delta of the Chippewa River to approximately River Mile 787 which is about 3 miles downstream of Red Wing, Minnesota. Upper Lake Pepin consists of channel border islands and backwater lakes grading into an expansive, shallow open water area with little physical structure. Sedimentation and sediment resuspension have caused a loss in water depth diversity of the backwater lakes and isolated wetlands above Lake Pepin as well as a loss in aquatic vegetation.
Published: 9/16/2016
The study area is located in a rural setting in western Hennepin County, Minnesota, approximately 40 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Crow River, a tributary to the Mississippi River, was experiencing erosion on a reach north of the city of Delano, Minnesota, where the natural course of the river follows a sharp turn adjacent to County Road 50. Erosion at the outside bend of the channel and at the toe of the bank of the Crow River threatened the stability of County Road 50 at the top of the river bluff.
Published: 2/26/2015
The Village of Colfax is located in Dunn County, Wisconsin, approximately 75 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota. The erosion site is located on the left descending bank of the Red Cedar River, less than one mile downstream of Colfax, at the Village of Colfax Waste Water Treatment Lagoons. Erosion has cut the bank to within 50 feet of the waste water treatment lagoon berm which threatens the integrity of the berm. Severe safety and environmental impacts would occur if erosion continues at this location and waste water from the lagoons was to enter the Red Cedar River.
Published: 10/2/2015
An area of County Highway M along the east bank of the Red Cedar River northeast of Colfax, Wisconsin is being threatened by erosion. The erosion is occurring along the outside bend of the river. Based on surveys, a stretch of river bank that is approximately 500 feet long is actively eroding where the top of bank has encroached on the right of way for County Highway M. Currently the top of bank is within 10-15 feet of the shoulder at the center of the site. Further erosion would lead to a significant safety concern as the bank drops off approximately 50 feet to the water surface below.
Published: 9/12/2016
Montevideo is located in Chippewa County in western Minnesota, approximately 130 miles west of St. Paul, Minnesota. The city is at the confluence of the Chippewa and Minnesota Rivers. The area is subject to flooding from both rivers. The three areas that are affected include the 1969 levee area, the Smith Addition and the U.S. Highway 212 area.
Published: 2/26/2015
Arcadia is located in Trempealeau County in west-central Wisconsin, approximately 130 miles southeast of
St. Paul, Minnesota. The city is located on the Trempealeau River with Turton Creek and Meyers Valley Creek flowing through town. The area is subject to flooding from the river, as well as from both creeks. The part of town located south of the Trempealeau River is affected by flooding, which includes Ashley Furniture Industries corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility.
Published: 2/26/2015
Wahpeton is in Richland County in eastern North Dakota, approximately 55 miles south of Fargo, North Dakota. The Red River of the North and the Bois de Sioux River border the city on the east. The confluence of the Otter Tail River with the Red River of the North is located at Wahpeton. The city of Breckenridge, Minnesota, lies east across the Red River of the North from Wahpeton.
Published: 2/26/2015
The St. Paul District operates and maintains 13 locks and dams from Upper St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Lock and Dam 10 in Guttenberg, Iowa. Each lock and dam is a critical step in the "stairway of water" that makes navigation possible between Minneapolis and St. Louis, Missouri. These facilities are aging structures, with locks and dams 2 through 10 originally constructed in the 1930s. These sites include a dam bridge and varying numbers of dam gates. The moveable dam gates are one of the most critical system components because they control pool elevation for navigation, flood control and environmental purposes.
Published: 2/26/2015
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a customer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the agencies have a national level interagency agreement in place for Interagency and International Support (IIS). The Corps’ support will fill a need for the VA regionally by providing rehabilitation and construction of health care facilities for veterans and their families.
Published: 10/1/2018
Determine whether or not continued operation and ownership of Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1 are in the federal interest, and if not, provides supporting information for deauthorization of the project purposes and disposal of the property. Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1 are both located on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Published: 3/22/2019
Determine whether or not continued operation and ownership of Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam (USAF) is in the federal interest, and if not, provide supporting information for deauthorization of the project purposes and disposal of the property. USAF is located on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Published: 3/14/2016
The Lower Pool 4 Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) study area is located between Lock and Dam 4 and the foot of Lake Pepin, river miles 753.0 to 764.0. The purpose of the DMMP is to prepare, a coordinated long-term plan for managing dredged material in Lower Pool 4 of the Upper Mississippi River for the purposes of continued operation and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Navigation Channel Project.
Published: 3/15/2018
The Pool 2 Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) study area is located between Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings, MN and extends upstream to Lock and Dam 1, river miles 815.2 to 847.7. The purpose of the DMMP is to prepare a coordinated long-term plan for managing dredged material in Upper and Lower Pool 2 of the Upper Mississippi River for the purposes of continued operation and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel Navigation Project.
Published: 3/15/2018
The Pool 5 Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) study area is located between Lock and Dam 4 at Alma, Wisconsin, and Lock and Dam 5 near Minneiska, Minnesota, spanning nearly 15 river miles from 752.8 to 738.1. The purpose of the DMMP is to prepare a coordinated long-term plan for managing dredged material in Lower Pool 5 of the Upper Mississippi River for the purposes of continued operation and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel Navigation Project.
Published: 3/15/2018
The Pool 6 Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) study area is located between Lock and Dam 5A at river mile 728.5 and Lock and Dam 6 at river mile 714.1. The purpose of the DMMP is to prepare a coordinated long-term plan for managing dredged material in Pool 6 of the Upper Mississippi River for the purposes of continued operation and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel Navigation Project.
Published: 3/15/2018
The Pool 9 Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) study area is located between Lock and Dam 8 at Genoa, Wisconins, and Lock and Dam 9 near Lynxville, Wisconsin, spanning more than 31 river miles from 679.2 to 648.0. The purpose of the DMMP is to prepare, a coordinated long-term plan for managing dredged material in Pool 9 of the Upper Mississippi River for the purposes of continued operation and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Channel Navigation Project.
Published: 3/15/2018
Authorized purposes for the Eau Galle Lake Project include flood control recreation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife. Eau Galle Lake is located on the Eau Galle River immediately upstream of Spring Valley, Wisconsin, approximately 50 miles east of the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
Published: 2/26/2015
The Section 154 program encompasses Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Iron Counties, Wisconsin. Program responsibilities are shared between the St. Paul and the Detroit Districts. It authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide assistance to northern Wisconsin public entities in the form of design, construction and reconstruction assistance for: water-related environmental infrastructure; resource protection and development projects, including navigation and inland harbor improvement and expansion; wastewater treatment and related facilities; water supply and related facilities; environmental restoration and surface water resource protection and development.
Published: 10/2/2015
The Section 569 program authorizes the Corps to provide public entities in the 18-county northeastern Minnesota area assistance in the form of design and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects, including projects for wastewater treatment and related facilities, water supply and related facilities, environmental restoration and surface water resource protection and development.
Published: 2/26/2015
The program authorizes the Corps to assist public entities, in the form of design and construction for water-related environmental infrastructure, and resource protection and development projects in North Dakota. These projects include wastewater treatment and related facilities. They also include combined sewer overflow, water supply, storage, treatment, and related facilities, as well as environmental restoration and surface water resource protection and development.
Published: 2/26/2015
In the mid-1970s, a series of major flood events occurred. To protect the communities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a series of emergency levees under Public Law 84‒99. These levees were later incorporated into the federal project. Since then, the emergency levees have undergone limited maintenance and experienced structural encroachments; however, these levees remain the primary line of defense for major flood events. While the emergency levees have provided some protection against major flood events, a permanent solution is needed to reduce the flood risk to these critical North Dakota communities. The Souris River in the North Dakota cities of Burlington, Minot, Logan, and Sawyer had a flood of record in 2011 with flows of 27,400 cubic feet per second. These flows devastated the communities and caused evacuations of more than 11,000 residents and approximately $1 billion dollars in damage to private and public property. The recovery efforts are still ongoing.
Published: 2/27/2015
All Minnesota flood control sites include flood risk management, recreation and environmental stewardship business line functions. Each has public use facilities for shore fishing, picnicking, bird watching and other activities. The land is actively managed for habitat enhancement. Project locations: Orwell Lake on the Otter Tail River, approximately six miles southwest of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; Highway 75 Dam on the upper Minnesota River near Odessa, Minnesota; Lac qui Parle on the Minnesota River near Montevideo, Minnesota; Red Lake Dam located at the outlet of Lower Red Lake in the northeastern part of Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Published: 2/27/2015
Homme and Ashtabula are multiple-purpose sites with flood risk management, recreation and environmental stewardship business functions. Souris River Project is used for flood control and mitigation activities. Project locations: Homme Lake, two miles west of Park River, North Dakota, on the South Branch of the Park River; Lake Ashtabula (Baldhill Dam), 12 miles northwest of Valley City, North Dakota, on the Sheyenne River; Lake Darling, operated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, approximately 20 miles northwest and J. Clark Salyer Wildlife Refuge, is 65 miles northeast of Minot, North Dakota.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Flood Plain Management Services program is authorized by Section 206 of the 1960 Flood Control Act, as amended. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the FPMS program specifically to address the needs of people who live and work in floodplains to know about the flood hazards and the actions they can take to reduce property damage and prevent the loss of life caused by flooding. The program’s objective is to foster public understanding of the options for dealing with flood hazards and to promote prudent use and management of the nation’s floodplains.
Published: 2/26/2015
The Flood Plain Management Services program is authorized by Section 206 of the 1960 Flood Control Act, Public Law 86-645, as amended. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the Flood Plain Management Services program specifically to address the needs of people who live and work in floodplain. This is a program to educate these individuals on flood hazards, and the actions they can take to reduce property damage and prevent the loss of life. The program’s objective is to foster public understanding of the options for dealing with flood hazards and to promote prudent use and management of the Nation’s floodplains.
Published: 3/16/2017
The Flood Plain Management Services program is authorized by Section 206 of the 1960 Flood Control Act, Public Law 86-645, as amended. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the Flood Plain Management Services program specifically to address the needs of people who live and work in floodplain. This is a program to educate these individuals on flood hazards, and the actions they can take to reduce property damage and prevent the loss of life. The program’s objective is to foster public understanding of the options for dealing with flood hazards and to promote prudent use and management of the Nation’s floodplains.
Published: 3/16/2017
The Flood Plain Management Services program is authorized by Section 206 of the 1960 Flood Control Act, Public Law 86-645, as amended. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the Flood Plain Management Services program specifically to address the needs of people who live and work in floodplain. This is a program to educate these individuals on flood hazards, and the actions they can take to reduce property damage and prevent the loss of life. The program’s objective is to foster public understanding of the options for dealing with flood hazards and to promote prudent use and management of the Nation’s floodplains.
Published: 3/16/2017
The purpose of this project is to reduce the risk of flooding to the residents of Breckenridge Minnesota. Breckenridge is in Wilkin County in western Minnesota, approximately 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and 55 miles south of Fargo, North Dakota. The Red River of the North and the Bois de Sioux River border the city on the west. The Otter Tail River flows from the east, bisecting the city. Wahpeton, North Dakota, is located to the west across the Red River from Breckenridge. The devastating flood of 1997 in the Red River basin generated a strong response at all levels of government to implement permanent flood risk management projects for urban communities along the Red River of the North.
Published: 2/27/2015
Silver Jackets teams are collaborative State-led interagency teams, continuously working together to reduce flood risk at the State level. Through the Silver Jackets program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, additional Federal, State and sometimes local and tribal agencies provide a unified approach to addressing a State’s priorities. Often, no single agency has the complete solution, but each may have one or more pieces to contribute.
Published: 2/26/2015
Silver Jackets teams are collaborative State-led interagency teams, continuously working together to reduce flood risk at the State level. Through the Silver Jackets program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, additional Federal, State and sometimes local and tribal agencies provide a unified approach to addressing a State’s priorities. Often, no single agency has the complete solution, but each may have one or more pieces to contribute.
Published: 2/26/2015
Silver Jackets teams are collaborative State-led interagency teams, continuously working together to reduce flood risk at the State level. Through the Silver Jackets program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, additional Federal, State and sometimes local and tribal agencies provide a unified approach to addressing a State’s priorities. Often, no single agency has the complete solution, but each may have one or more pieces to contribute.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued license 11175 to Crown Hydro, LLC, in 1999 which granted it the exclusive rights to develop a hydropower facility in the Mill Ruins Park area on the Mississippi River near Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Crown Hydro Project was originally proposed to be located in the Crown Roller Building and then, later, on Minneapolis park land. Crown Hydro was unable to secure the needed real estate agreements with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. In 2013, Crown Hydro made a proposal to locate the project on Corps-managed Government land at Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam. The total 3.4-megawatt estimated capacity would be enough to provide power to more than 2,300 households.
Published: 2/26/2015
Granting licenses for private hydropower development at Federal facilities falls within the purview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Private hydropower facilities currently in operation at St. Paul District sites include Xcel Energy at Upper St. Anthony Falls, SAF Hydropower at Lower St. Anthony Falls, Twin Cities Hydropower (Ford Hydropower) at Lock and Dam 1 and the city of Hastings Hydropower at Lock and Dam 2.
Published: 2/26/2015
The city of Hastings, Minnesota, holds Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license 4306, which granted it the authority to design, construct and operate a hydropower facility on the Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings. The licensed facility consists of a powerhouse, which is adjacent to the dam and contains two 2,200-kilowatt turbine/generators and a power distribution system. The total 4.4-megawatt estimated capacity is enough to provide power to 3,500 households.
Published: 2/26/2015
Northern States Power Company (aka Xcel Energy) holds Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license number 2056, granting it the authority to operate the hydropower facility located at Upper St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Published: 2/26/2015
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued license number 12451 on Feb. 21, 2006, granting the authority to SAF Hydropower, LLC, to construct and operate a hydropower facility on the Mississippi River at Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The hydropower project includes an 8.98-megawatt generating system composed of a 16-unit turbine matrix, a control building, a transmission line and ancillary facilities. The total capacity of the plant is enough to provide power to 6,200 households.
Published: 2/26/2015
Twin Cities Hydro, LLC, holds Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license number 362, which allows it to operate the Ford Hydropower plant on the Mississippi River in St. Paul, Minnesota. The hydropower facility consists of a powerhouse, four 5,800-horsepower Francis turbines and four 4,880-kilowatt generating units, a 2-foot-high inflatable flashboard system atop the concrete dam spillway and a power distribution system. The total capacity of the plant is 17.92 megawatts, or enough to provide power to 14,500 households.
Published: 2/26/2015
Lac qui Parle Dam is located on the upper Minnesota River on the South Dakota border. The dam is about 7 river miles upstream of Montevideo and 300 river miles upstream of Minneapolis. This equipment refurbishment is intended to replace nine sluice gates and operating equipment. Dewatering the upstream/downstream sides of the concrete control structure is required to facilitate the gate replacement.
Published: 9/25/2017
The Lac qui Parle dike and emergency spillway is designed to retain the Lac qui Parle Reservoir during times of flood but is designed for over topping during extreme events. The overtop elevation of the spillway is 940.75 feet. The Lac qui Parle Dam is located on the upper Minnesota River 30 miles east of the South Dakota border. The dam is about 7 river miles upstream of Montevideo, Minnesota. The dike and emergency spillway is adjacent to and west of the dam between the dam and County Hwy 75. The damaged area of the spillway extends approximately 2,500 feet from the dam.
Published: 4/16/2020
The basic objectives of the Levee Safety Program are to develop balanced and informed assessments of levees within the program; evaluate, prioritize and justify levee safety decisions; and recommend improvements to public safety associated with levee systems. The Corps created the National Levee Database, inventoried all levees in the program and improved inspection procedures. The Corps is developing a method to manage its levee systems and is reviewing and revising current levee-related policies and procedures.
Published: 2/26/2015
The basic objectives of the Levee Safety Program are to develop balanced and informed assessments of levees within the program; evaluate, prioritize and justify levee safety decisions; and recommend improvements to public safety associated with levee systems. The Corps created the National Levee Database, inventoried all levees in the program and improved inspection procedures. The Corps is developing a method to manage its portfolio of levee systems and is reviewing and revising current levee-related policies and procedures.
Published: 2/26/2015
The basic objectives of the Levee Safety Program are to develop balanced and informed assessments of levees within the program; evaluate, prioritize and justify levee safety decisions; and recommend improvements to public safety associated with levee systems. The Corps created the National Levee Database, inventoried all levees in the program and improved inspection procedures. The Corps is developing a method to manage its portfolio of levee systems and is reviewing and revising current levee-related policies and procedures.
Published: 2/26/2015
The basic objectives of the Levee Safety Program are to develop balanced and informed assessments of levees within the program; evaluate, prioritize and justify levee safety decisions; and recommend improvements to public safety associated with levee systems. The Corps created the National Levee Database, inventoried all levees in the program and improved inspection procedures.
Published: 2/26/2015
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) agency-wide process for completion of levee system evaluations in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA administers the NFIP program, which focuses on the 1-percent annual chance exceedance flood, also, referred to as the 100-year or base flood. The FEMA 100-year flood is a flood insurance standard, not a public safety standard.
Published: 2/26/2015
Constrained funding and the Nation’s fiscal deficit have led to reduced operations and maintenance funding within the Corps Inland Marine Transportation System (IMTS). When coupled with deteriorating infrastructure and increasing costs of operation, it became clear that the level of service the Corps has been providing at some locks and dams is not sustainable.
Published: 2/27/2015
Pool 2 is the navigation pool created by the construction of Lock and Dam 2 at Hastings, Minnesota, at river mile 815.2. The pool is approximately 32.4 miles long and stretches upstream to Lock and Dam 1 in Minneapolis at river mile 847.6 (often referred to as the Ford Dam). Between river miles 818 and 820, the navigation channel switches from one bank of the river to the other and back again creating a near 90-degree bend in the river at mile 819.
Published: 2/27/2015
The purpose of this project is to modify the existing Marsh Lake Dam to increase the bio-diversity of the Minnesota River/Lac qui Parle/Pomme de Terre River ecosystem without compromising the flood risk management function of the Marsh Lake Dam. Marsh Lake is on the Minnesota River between Swift and Lac qui Parle Counties near Appleton, Minnesota. The Marsh Lake Dam is owned and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Lac qui Parle Flood Risk Management project. The fixed-crest dam holds a conservation pool in the upper portion of the Lac qui Parle Reservoir. The Works Progress Administration constructed the dam and rerouted the Pomme de Terre River into the reservoir between 1936 and 1939.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Minnesota River had been recognized as highly degraded and a significant sediment source filling Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River and delivering nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico. The Minnesota River Basin Reconnaissance Study, Section 905(b) Analysis recommended an “Integrated watershed, water quality management, and ecosystem restoration analysis, leading to the development of a basin scale watershed management plan” for the Minnesota River Basin. The purpose of this Minnesota River Basin Interagency Study (MRBI Study) was to implement that recommendation by engaging agency partners and using advanced hydrologic modeling and environmental benefit analysis. The intent was to understand water, sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus transport across large landscapes to evaluate hydrologic, sediment and nutrient runoff response to historic, existing and probable future conditions.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Mississippi River Headwaters Project consists of six headwaters dams in north-central Minnesota. Cross Lake, Gull Lake, Big Sandy Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, Pokegama Lake and Leech Lake make up the headwaters lakes system. They were constructed or reconstructed between 1900 and 1913 (work on Pokegama started in 1884 and Winnibigoshish in 1885) to aid navigation on the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Published: 3/21/2019
Lock and Dam 1 is located on the Minneapolis side of the Mississippi River. The purpose of this project is to re-establish armor downstream of the concrete apron. The existing rock protection consists of grouted derrick stone. This stone bedding has broken up and washed downstream, exposing bedding material and risking failure of the wooden piles and sheet pile located underneath the existing concrete apron.
Published: 2/26/2015
The Lock and Dam 5A embankment is located along the Mississippi River about 3.5 river miles above Winona, Minnesota, and about 3 river miles below Fountain City, Wis. FEMA is verifying that all levees recognized as providing protection from the base flood meet the requirements outlined in 44 CFR 65.10. This code requires that specific structural requirements must be certified by a registered professional engineer or a federal agency with responsibility for levee design. The city of Winona is performing this certification for the flood risk management project with the Corps providing an analysis of the Lock and Dam 5A embankment in support of that certification.
Published: 10/1/2018
The purpose of this project is to extend the longevity of the lower guidewall at Lock and Dam 6 and to reduce operability issues and required maintenance. The end cell will provide adequate protection of the end monolith along the lower guidewall, while the existing crib grouting component will add stability. Lock and Dam 6 is located in Trempealeau, Wisconsin roughly 20 miles north of La Crosse Wisconsin.
Published: 3/16/2017
Earthfill embankments are integral to each of the Mississippi River Locks and Dams 2 through 10. The purpose of this project is to reestablish and armor degraded embankments to prevent further erosion and potential failure during high water events. The existing rock protection is well past its intended design life and does not perform satisfactorily. Wave action from high water causes continued widespread erosion.
Published: 2/26/2015
Guidewalls are integral to each of the Mississippi River Locks and Dams 2 through 10. Guidewalls are long extensions of the lock walls, in either the upstream or downstream direction, that are parallel to the lock wall. These walls serve primarily to guide the long tows into the lock and to provide mooring facilities for tows too long to be accommodated in a single lockage. The guidewalls are constructed of multiple 35 to 40 feet length concrete monoliths with rock filled timber cribs beneath and behind them.
Published: 10/2/2015
Miter gates are integral to Mississippi River Locks and Dams, 2 through 10. Miter gates are comprised of two leaves that provide a closure at one end of a lock. Locks and Dams 2 through 10 have utilized the same miter gates since their inception. Over time, distress has been observed and has led to serviceability and safety issues. The purpose of this project is to restore the gates, increasing longevity and operational readiness, while decreasing repair costs and downtime due to maintenance of failure.
Published: 9/25/2017
Non-structural embankment repair projects at Locks and Dams 2 through 10 will address restoring embankments to meet current design standards. Most dam embankments are currently protected from the erosive forces of water by a layer of riprap placed along the embankment’s length. When the riprap eventually erodes, the embankment itself will erode if more protection is not added. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has designed and placed berms and small islands to assist in reducing wave action and wind fetch within pools created by the locks and dams. Reducing these forces increases the longevity of the embankment protections.
Published: 3/22/2019
The tow rail system is integral to the operation of each of the Mississippi River Locks and Dams 2 through 10. It is attached to the top of the lock guidewall and helps guide tows through the lock chamber. Each system is comprised of an operating unit, rail and traveling kevel or “mule.” The Locks and Dams 2 through 10 tow rail systems have been deteriorating over the past several years, requiring rehabilitation of these systems.
Published: 3/14/2016
Lock and Dams 3-10 have a partially completed auxiliary chamber with a single set of miter gates that may be used to pass shallow draft navigation traffic in the event the lock chamber was out of operation and the upstream and downstream pools were equalized. The Auxiliary Miter Gates are considered emergency gates originally intended to allow for limited navigation if the main lock became inoperable. Only one set of miter gates were installed. Since installation, the auxiliary emergency gates have never been used and the gate operating machinery was never installed.
Published: 9/12/2016
The Mississippi River recreation and environmental stewardship functions are headquartered in La Crescent, Minnesota. The organization includes Blackhawk Park, a recreation area located 30 miles south of La Crescent with overnight camping, day-use areas and boat launching facilities. Operation and maintenance of three additional boat accesses at Bad Axe, Millstone and Jay’s Lake Landings are also administered by this organization.
Published: 2/27/2015
Purpose of this project is to assure proper periodic maintenance and subsequent operation of the Lock and Dam 4 system. Lock and Dam 4 is located in Alma, Wisconsin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the facility in 1935 as part of the overall 9-foot channel navigation project, and it began operation in the same year.
Published: 4/16/2020
The National Loon Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization, is proposing a National Loon Center Facility, Public Docks and Shoreline Protection Project on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land at the Cross Lake Recreation Area. Also proposed is the development of shoreline protection zones with plantings and a boardwalk. The National Loon Center Foundation has presented a Land Use Application requesting a lease of the day use area at the Cross Lake Recreation Area. The St. Paul District is in the process of evaluating the application in accordance with the governing instructions to make an objective determination of how this proposed project fits in the master plan and affects the Corps’ flood risk management, recreation, and environmental stewardship mission and current users of the project.
Published: 9/24/2019
In April 2017, the Upper Mississippi River Water Level Management Workshop facilitated discussion about interest and ability in achieving routine, systemic, large-scale water level management – i.e., what that would look like, associated challenges, and recommendations for partnership engagement and action.
Published: 3/15/2018
The study, titled “Red Cedar Basin Assessment to Improve Water Quality”, is located in the Red Cedar River Basin, which drains a 1,893 square-mile area in west-central Wisconsin, and includes parts of Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix and Washburn Counties.
Published: 3/16/2017
The Red River of the North rises in Lake Traverse near Wheaton, Minnesota and flows north towards Canada and ultimately to Lake Winnipeg. The Red River Basin Commission (RRBC) produced the Long Term Flood Study (LTFS) in 2011 after the 2009 event. Minnesota and North Dakota expressed the need for a coordinated, comprehensive, proactive plan that responds to and mitigates flooding and flood damages throughout the Red River Watershed.
Published: 3/22/2019
This project is to assist the city of River Falls, Wisconsin in the development of a comprehensive plan to assess the proposed relicensing of the Junction Falls Development and the decommissioning and removal of the dam at the Powell Falls Development. Both developments are part of the River Falls Hydroelectric Project. Both the Junction Falls Development and the Powell Falls Development are located along the Kinnickinnic River in the city of River Falls, in Pierce County, Wisconsin
Published: 4/8/2020
The study area is the Six Mile Creek watershed, a twenty seven square mile watershed located in western Hennepin County, Minnesota. The watershed contains abundant and interconnected lakes and wetland resources, an array of needed improvement strategies, wildlife corridors, and is anticipated to experience growth and development in the coming decades.
Published: 3/16/2017
Unprecedented flooding in the Souris River Basin in 2011 has focused attention on review of the water control structure operating plan during flood events. This study area will include the entire Souris River Basin to its confluence with the Assiniboine River and will encompass the key water control reservoirs: Rafferty, Alameda, Boundary and Lake Darling. The study will look at the geographical limits of the basin in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the state of North Dakota.
Published: 9/25/2017
The Red River of the North rises in Lake Traverse near Wheaton, Minnesota, and flows north towards Canada and ultimately to Lake Winnipeg. The Upper Red River Watershed has been identified as a priority for identifying and prioritizing wetland restoration opportunities. The watershed faces a number of significant natural resources challenges, including major losses of historic wetlands and alteration of streams which have contributed to increased flooding, water quality impairments, and loss of habitat.
Published: 3/15/2018
The Yellow Medicine River is a major tributary to the Minnesota River located in southwestern Minnesota. The study area for this project includes approximately 685 square miles of mostly agricultural lands across five counties. The Yellow Medicine River Watershed was selected by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources as one of five pilot area for the One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P) program. The program allows counties to transition from county based water management planning to watershed based planning.
Published: 3/16/2017
The Planning Assistance to States program, also known as the Section 22 program, is authorized by Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, of 1974, as amended. This law provides authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist states, local governments and other non-federal entities in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, use and conservation of water and related land resources. Section 208 of WRDA 1992 amended WRDA 1974 to include eligible Native American Indian tribes as equivalent to a state.
Published: 3/14/2016
Pokegama Dam was constructed in 1884. The main embankment was constructed with a pervious, rock and clay-filled timber structure core and covered with sandy material. In 1941, a sheetpile wall was installed upstream of the timber core to minimize unwanted seepage (flow) through the embankment. The existing sheetpile wall has been effective at controlling seepage, but its overall condition is currently in question. Without an effective seepage barrier, the water levels could rise throughout the embankment causing downstream slope instability, which would threaten the integrity of the dam.
Published: 3/16/2017
Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 authorizes the Secretary of the Army to grant permission for alterations to existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects under certain circumstances. Authority to approve alterations has been delegated to the District Commander in most cases, although certain alterations require approval from the Director of Civil Works at the Corps’ headquarters. Section 408 provisions apply to works that were built by the Corps and are locally maintained, such as local flood control projects. They also apply to works that are operated and maintained by the Corps, such as locks and dams. Proposals submitted for Section 408 review and approval undergo a rigorous engineering, policy and environmental review by the Corps and, if required, independent external peer review.
Published: 9/24/2019
The Red River of the North basin covers 45,000 square miles and occupies substantial portions of North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, southern Manitoba and a small portion of northeastern South Dakota. Land use in the basin is primarily agricultural, but several urban centers are located along the Red River main stem and tributaries. While extensive drainage systems have resulted in extremely rich agricultural areas, portions of the basin still support the ecologically abundant prairie-pothole region. Flooding is a major concern for residents in the basin; frequent floods have impacts on urban and rural infrastructure and agricultural production.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Red River of the North basin is an international, multi-jurisdictional watershed of 45,000 square miles, with 80 percent of the basin lying in the United States and 20 percent in Manitoba, Canada. Eighteen Minnesota counties and 22 North Dakota counties lie wholly or partially in the basin. The river flows to the north, bringing water and nutrients to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. Flooding and loss of native habitat are significant issues in the Red River basin.
Published: 2/27/2015
Over its history, Sandy Lake Dam has undergone a series of modifications, repairs and periodic inspections. From 2011 to 2016, a series of above and below water inspections identified several features that had deteriorated to a point that repair or replacement were necessary to maintain the long-term stability of the structure. Sandy Lake Dam is located on the Sandy River in Aitkin County, Minnesota, 1.25 miles upstream of the junction between the Sandy River and Mississippi River.
Published: 4/16/2020
The St. Paul Small-Boat Harbor is on the lower end of Harriet Island in St. Paul, Minnesota, at Upper Mississippi River mile 839.6 on the right descending bank. The length of the harbor is 2,375 feet; the width varies from 200 to 400 feet. The Corps of Engineers is authorized to maintain the harbor to a depth of 5.0 feet below low control pool elevation of 687.2 feet mean sea level (msl). The city of St. Paul is the non-Federal sponsor for the project and is required to furnish a suitable placement site for the dredged material.
Published: 10/2/2015
Following the 2011 flood event, North Dakota developed a preliminary engineering report that evaluated alternatives to mitigate flood risks throughout the Souris Basin. The report recommended a flood risk management project that would provide protection up to the 2011 flood of record levels or approximately 27,400 cubic feet per second (cfs).
Published: 2/26/2015
Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Upper Mississippi River are a significant threat to the endangered Higgins eye pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii) and winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District and Engineer Research and Development Center are conducting a study in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the National Park Service; the Departments of Natural Resources from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. Recommended management alternatives outside the Corps’ existing authorities would need to be implemented by others.
Published: 2/27/2015
The St. Paul District is authorized to maintain a 9-foot navigation channel on the St. Croix River from the mouth at the confluence with the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin, to river mile 24.5 near Stillwater, Minnesota. The authorized width is 200 feet. A 3-foot channel is authorized from river mile 24.5 to river mile 51.8 near Taylors Falls, Minnesota. The authorized width for this reach is 25 feet, and the controlling depth is 1 foot at extreme low water.
Published: 2/27/2015
The Tribal Partnership Program is authorized by Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000. The Tribal Partnership Program provides authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in cooperation with Indian nations to study and determine the feasibility of carrying out projects that will substantially benefit Indian nations. Activity may address (A) projects for flood damage reduction, environmental restoration and protection and preservation of cultural and natural resources; (B) watershed assessments and planning activities; and (C) such other projects as the Corps, in cooperation with Indian tribes and the heads of other federal agencies, determines to be appropriate.
Published: 9/25/2017
Fed by groundwater, Big Sand Lake is a clear, soft water lake that has varying levels of algae growth within the year, affecting lake health. The lake, located in Burnett County, Wisconsin, is typically 1,434 surface acres with a maximum depth of 55 feet. Tribal elders have indicated that these areas were good ricing spots historically but have decreased in size over time. No harvests have occurred for many years. Additionally, approximately 2,000 lineal feet of shoreline is actively eroding into tribal land along the south eastern bank of Big Sand Lake.
Published: 10/1/2018
Located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) is a series of lakes that was once a highly productive wild rice water with copious amounts of fish. Within LCO, Musky Bay produced the most wild rice and served as the primary spawning habitat for muskellunge, which are native to LCO. The lake has been known for producing trophy-size fish, including a world record. Presently, due to eutrophication, the wild rice has almost completely disappeared and fish are disappearing within the boundaries of the LCO Reservation. Eutrophication, which occurs when a body of water becomes overly enriched with nutrients, has caused a dense growth of undesirable plant life and fish kills.
Published: 10/1/2018
Fish migration up the Little Minnesota River has ceased, which is of great concern to the Sisseton band of the Dakota. This study aims to determine the cause of the lack of migration and identify potential solutions. The study area for this project is the Little Minnesota River between Big Stone Lake and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Lake Traverse Reservation, which is approximately 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and 158 miles north of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The primary area of concern is located in Roberts County, South Dakota, and just outside of Browns Valley, Minnesota, in Traverse County and Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Published: 10/1/2018
The Prairie Island Indian Community is located on Pool 3 of the Mississippi River about 12 miles southeast of Hastings, Minnesota. Lands owned by the tribe include islands within and surrounding Sturgeon Lake, a backwater lake on the western side of the navigation channel of the Mississippi River. During past work with the tribe, they have expressed an interest in working to protect islands and improve habitat there, especially at the upper end of Sturgeon Lake. One island in particular, bordering Buffalo Slough, has been eroding and could benefit from shoreline stabilization.
Published: 3/20/2018
The study will assess the problems and opportunities being faced by the Upper Sioux Community on their tribal lands and make recommendations related to erosion along the Minnesota River adjacent to and impacting those lands.
Published: 4/14/2020
The St. Paul District is responsible for maintaining 244 miles of the Upper Mississippi River 9-foot channel navigation system from the head of navigation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Guttenberg, Iowa. The project is located in or contiguous to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The navigation project within the St. Paul District includes 13 sets of locks and dams that are operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition to the locks and dams the project includes channel maintenance, recreation and natural resource activities.
Published: 2/27/2015
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District is responsible for maintaining 244 miles of the Upper Mississippi River 9-foot channel navigation system from the head of navigation at Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Guttenberg, Iowa. The navigation system also includes the lower navigable portions of the Minnesota, St. Croix, and Black Rivers.
Published: 2/26/2015
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program includes studies and projects in the Upper Mississippi River system north of Cairo, Illinois. The system includes the Illinois River. This program, authorized by Congress in 1986, emphasizes habitat rehabilitation and enhancement projects and long-term resource monitoring. The habitat project component includes dredging backwater areas and channels, constructing dikes, creating and stabilizing islands and controlling side channel flows and water levels.
Published: 3/20/2017
The hydrology in the area has changed significantly, driven in part by change in land use and climate. The proposed project aims to improve habitat for aquatic vegetation and migratory waterfowl by providing water level management capabilities that target management goals of the refuge.
Published: 3/15/2018
Dissolved oxygen is essential for a healthy fisheries habitat. Dissolved oxygen depletion is a problem in the study area in summer and in winter due to a variety of reasons. Conway Lake is relatively shallow with abundant aquatic vegetation. During the winter, excessive water enters Phillipi Lake through openings that are eroding, creating unsuitable habitat conditions for overwintering backwater fish. Shore Slough has less than optimal fish habitat conditions as a result of sedimentation and the high flows from Phillipi Lake.
Published: 4/12/2017
Harpers Slough area is a 4,150-acre backwater area located primarily on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River in Pool 9, about 3 miles upstream of Lock and Dam 9. The project will protect five existing islands and construct an additional seven islands using material from the backwater and main channel. The project will slow the loss of existing islands, reduce the flow of sediment-laden water into the backwaters, reduce turbidity and increase the diversity of land and shoreline habitat.
Published: 4/12/2017
Lower Pool 10 Islands restoration project is a side channel/island complex located on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River navigation channel in Pool 10, about one mile upstream from Lock and Dam 10 in Guttenberg, Iowa. The proposed project goals include protecting and restoring island complexes in this 1,000 acre area that would restore and enhance quality habitat for native and desirable species by reducing suspended solid concentrations and reducing wind fetch.
Published: 4/12/2017
McGregor Lake is a 200-acre backwater lake in Pool 10 of the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The proposed project could include various features, such as dredging the lake, restoring or strengthening the barrier islands and constructing small islands within the lake to reduce wave action. It could also improve adjacent forest habitat.
Published: 4/12/2017
Much of the floodplain forest in the Reno Bottoms project area has been declining in coverage over the past several decades. Current Pool 9 water management and flow through the Lock and Dam 8 embankment have shifted the floodplain forest distribution to higher elevations than pre-impoundment conditions. Without active management, floodplain forest in the Reno Bottoms project area is likely to continue to degrade. The proposed project goals include protecting, maintaining and restoring floodplain hardwood forests to levels that are sustainable. The 14,000 acre Reno Bottoms area is located within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Houston County, Minnesota and Allamakee County, Iowa and is in Pool 9 between river miles 671‒682.
Published: 3/22/2019
The Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam is part of the Inland Waterway Navigation System of the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The Tainter gate’s electrical control system has not been upgraded for many decades. Attempts to operate the gate have failed on various occasions and reliability is a concern. There is also question over the condition of the system’s hydraulics because the ram cylinder rooms and operating machinery rooms are constantly wet.
Published: 3/14/2016