ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, posted the draft environmental assessment and seeks the public’s input for the Peterson Lake habitat improvement and modifications project to its website today, Oct. 18.
Peterson Lake is located downriver from Wabasha, Minnesota. Changes to the project, as planned by the Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, include:
- Repair breach work with rock on the northern side of the lake;
- Close off access on the northern side of the lake to decrease flow into Peterson Lake;
- Reconstruct and add rock to the middle lake access opening to decrease flow; and
- Place dredged material on underutilized beach areas identified as forest restoration sites located near Peterson Lake.
These recommended modifications are necessary to better accomplish the goals and objectives of the project. The changes should improve aquatic habitat in approximately 15 acres of Peterson Lake in Lower Pool 4 of the Mississippi River for a variety of fish species including important sportfish such as bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. The project is a part of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program and was originally completed in 1995.
Copies of the draft report and public notice can be found at: http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/Public-Notices/, the Wabasha Pioneer Club and the Wabasha Public Library. Questions concerning the project should be directed to Steve Clark, project biologist, at steven.j.clark@usace.army.mil. Formal comments on the project must be submitted by mail to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District commander, Attention: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 180 Fifth St. E., Suite 700, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1678.
All comments received will be made available to the public to include the possibility of being posted on a publicly accessible website. Individuals are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as home addresses or home phone numbers, in their comments, unless they do not object to such information being made available to the public.
The nearly 600 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the St. Paul District Fiscal Year 2016 $78 million budget, nearly 1,250 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $120 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.
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