Tribal Partnership Program: Section 203, Little Minnesota River Assessment of Fish Migration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District
Published Oct. 1, 2018
Updated: Nov. 23, 2020
Purpose
Fish, including freshwater walleye, have historically migrated up the Little Minnesota River, which runs through the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Lake Traverse Reservation. Spearfishing has always been a tradition in the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate culture. Unfortunately, in the last decade, fish migration up the Little Minnesota River has ceased, which is of great concern to the Sisseton Band of the Dakota. This study objective was to determine the cause of the lack of migration and identify potential solutions.
 
Location
The study area for this project was 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.
 
Description 
Along with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, South Dakota Fish and Game and staff from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-led project delivery team completed thorough sampling analysis in 2018 and 2019 and determined the cause of the lack of migration on the Little Minnesota River. Through close coordination with study partners potential solutions that would improve fish passage on the river have been analyzed and modeled. The results of the study have been detailed in a planning report. 
 
Status
The study was completed and presented to the tribe in spring 2020. The conclusion of the study was that a recently constructed flood diversion project, which reduces flood risk to Browns Valley, Minnesota, creates an impediment to fish passage during the spring migration period.  This impediment is not located on tribal lands and thus cannot be constructed under the Tribal Partnership Program authority.  Discussions have taken place with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on potential state funded construction options.   
 
Authority
The Tribal Partnership Program (Section 203 of Water Resources Development Act 2000) authorizes activities related to the study, design and construction of water resources development projects substantially benefiting Native American tribes. The non-federal sponsor for this project is the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate.
 
Funding
Federal Funds Allocated          $250,000
 
Pursuant to Section 1156 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, Public Law 99-662, as amended (33 U.S.C 2310), the non-federal cost share is waived up to $484,000.