25 Apr 2025

Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program

The Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) seeks to provide a safe, reliable, cost-effective and environment-sustainable waterborne navigation system by implementing switchboats at five locks and constructing mooring cells and seven new 1,200-foot locks. NESP will restore the aquatic and terrestrial habitat to a more natural condition on more than 100,000 acres throughout the system through a wide variety of ecosystem projects.

16 Apr 2025

Upper Mississippi River – Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program: Johnson Island Project, Wisconsin

The Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program is a long-term program of ecosystem restoration and navigation improvements for the Upper Mississippi River System. Johnson Island is located near Trempealeau, Wisconsin, in Pool 6 of the Mississippi River. Island erosion, island dissection, and sedimentation have greatly reduced the quality and quantity of terrestrial and aquatic habitat in the project area. Project objectives are directed at improving conditions for fish, aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, maintaining emergent vegetation, maintaining submersed vegetation and island stabilization and nourishment to restore connectivity, and promotion of floodplain forest regeneration.

16 Apr 2025

Upper Mississippi River – Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program: Systemic Mitigation Island 4 Project, Wisconsin

The primary purpose of this project is to address general degradation of habitat quality due to sediment deposition, wind-driven wave action, declining bathymetric diversity, and a decline in aquatic vegetation. Concerns over habitat deficiencies in Upper Pool 4 include reduced habitat diversity and quality, lack of aquatic vegetation and invertebrates, and reduced abundance of fish and wildlife.

16 Apr 2025

Upper Mississippi River – Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program: Wacouta Bay Project, Wisconsin

Concerns over habitat deficiencies in Wacouta Bay, most resulting from sedimentation and turbidity, include reduced aquatic and terrestrial habitat diversity and quality, lack of aquatic vegetation, lack of protected wetlands, and reduced abundance of fish and wildlife. The Wacouta Bay project is a Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program study that will consider alternatives including island building and enhancement, forest enhancement and creation, backwater restoration and dredging, island and shoreline protection, and use of dredged material.