Mississippi River Lower Pool 13 Phase II habitat rehabilitation project open house is April 30

CLINTON, Iowa – The Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Department of Natural Resources are hosting a public open house on the Lower Pool 13 Phase II Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project from 5 to 7 p.m. April 30 at Eagle Point Lodge, 4101 N. Third St., Clinton.

This project is part of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration’s Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Program, which is funded by the Army Corps of Engineers and lies within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

Phase I planning for this project was completed in 2023 with a focus on the southwest corner of Lower Pool 13 at Fulton. This area is primarily shallow open water that receives constant wind-driven wave action resulting in poor water quality and a lack of habitat diversity. A series of rock chevrons will be constructed to minimize wave fetch that will improve water quality and provide a diversity of habitat types for fish and wildlife species. Funding for construction of Phase I has not yet been approved.

The April 30 open house will provide an overview of the Phase II project and cover potential options for restoration and enhancement of the area. The public is invited to provide feedback and engage in discussion about the project. Representatives from the partnering agencies will be available to answer questions and gather input from the community.

The Upper Mississippi River Restoration program is part of ecosystem restoration in the local area. Previous projects completed under this program include Beaver Island and Princeton Wildlife Management Area in Pool 14; Potter’s Marsh, Spring Lake, Pleasant Creek and Brown’s Lake in Pool 13; and Pool 12 overwintering in Stone, Tippy, Sunfish and Kehough lakes.

The Steamboat Island project in Pool 14 is in Phase II construction. The Green Island and Pool 12 Forestry projects are in planning stages.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the most visited refuge in the U.S. The refuge extends 261 miles containing 244,000 acres along the Upper Mississippi River from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Princeton, Iowa, protecting and preserving habitat for migratory birds, fish and a variety of other wildlife.