ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance are hosting a groundbreaking ceremony in Bay City, Wisconsin, May 16, to kickoff construction of a first-of-its-kind Mississippi River habit improvement project.
The ceremony will start at 10:30 a.m., at the Saratoga Park, W6389 Pepin St., Bay City.
The Mississippi River Upper Pool 4 habitat project is a nearly $27 million project and one of the first in the nation to use river sand from the Mississippi River navigation channel and backwaters to improve habitat. Some of the key features of the project include building peninsulas, access dredging, and shoreline protection near Bay City at the head of Lake Pepin. The improvements will support fish and wildlife habitat. The contractor, LS Marine, Inc., of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, is scheduled to begin construction this summer.
The project is the culmination of years of cooperation among several agencies at every level of government. Funding for the project was made available by the Corps of Engineers, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, Pepin County, village of Bay City, village of Stockholm, city of Red Wing, Ducks Unlimited and the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance.
“This project is a testament to what can be accomplished when everyone works together,” said Tom Novak, St. Paul District project manager. “The project is a victory for our navigation mission, the environment and the communities and people that rely on the Mississippi River for everything from water to recreation, tourism and beyond.”
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Release no. 23-026