Location
Pool 13, Upper Mississippi River Miles 522.5 to 529.0, Carroll & Whiteside Counties, Illinois and Clinton County, Iowa.
Description
The Lower Pool 13 Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Project, part of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program, is located approximately three miles upstream of the city of Clinton, Iowa. The project features would be located entirely on federally owned land that forms part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The area consists of backwater lakes, sloughs, flowing channels, and impounded water residing over historically flooded islands and remnant islands. The lower section of Pool 13 is located in a valley that is 1.5 to 4.5 miles wide and contains few land masses.
The goals are to maintain, enhance, restore, and emulate natural river processes, structures, and functions to promote a sustainable ecosystem; and to maintain, enhance, and create quality habitat for all native and desirable plant, animal, and fish species. The objectives identified to meet these goals are (1) restore and enhance submerged aquatic vegetation and; (2) restore and enhance coverage, species richness, and age distribution of forest communities.
Potential project features include the following:
- River structures (chevrons, rock mounds)
- Island construction
- Island protection
- Closure structures
- Diversion berms
- Excavation
- Timber stand improvements
Background
Pre-impoundment, Pool 13 consisted of permanent and seasonal lakes, forested wetlands, bottomland forests, braided islands, wet meadows, and main channels and sloughs. Lock and Dam 13 began operation in the late 1930’s; the implementation resulted in the inundation of several thousand acres of floodplain in lower Pool 13. Connectivity of backwater and off channel areas within the Project area changed from seasonal discharge related events to year-round connectivity. The resulting constant inundation has contributed to island/landmass erosion, sedimentation, and resuspension of sediments due to wave action. Forecasted future conditions anticipate continued sedimentation and backwater sedimentation of fine materials. Wave resuspension of sediments in the Project area will continue to affect the sustainability of aquatic vegetation due to influences of the tributaries, ambient turbidity levels, and wind fetch. Fisheries resources in the Project area are expected to continue to degrade due to a lack of structure, habitat diversity, and overwintering habitat. Migratory water bird habitat will continue to be variable, primarily dependent on the stability levels of year-to-year aquatic plant production. A variety of physical, chemical, and biological stressors individually and cumulatively affect the quantity and quality of habitat for biota in the Project area.
Status
The feasibility report was initiated in 2018 and was approved in December 2023. Project design started in 2024.
Additional Information
Authority
Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) of 1986 under Section 1103 (33 U.S.C 2201 et seq.; P.L. 99-662, 1986)
CG - Construction General
Summarized Project Costs
|
Estimated Federal Cost
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$25,288,000
|
|
Estimated Non-Federal Cost
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$0
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Estimated Total Project Cost
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$25,288,000
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|
Allocations Prior to FY 2024
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$2,369,524
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FY 2024 Allocation
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$550,000
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FY 2025 President’s Budget
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$600,000
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FY 2025 Total Capability
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$600,000
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Major Work Item Current Year
FY 2024: The Project moved forward with finalizing the feasibility report, the start of Stage I design and the pre-project monitoring.
Major Work Item Next Fiscal Year
FY 2025: If funded, the project will move forward with design and the pre-project monitoring.