UMRR Program – Green Island HREP – Pool 13

Rock Island District
Published Aug. 30, 2024
Green Island Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project

Green Island Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project

Location

Pool 13, Upper Mississippi River Miles 548.5 and 546.0, Jackson County, Iowa.

Description

The Green Island Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, part of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration program, is located near Green Island, Iowa. The project lies within the Green Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) which is managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The Green Island WMA is located in Pool 13 of the Upper Mississippi River below the confluence of the Maquoketa River.

The project area is a 4,000-acre wetland complex that includes shallow lakes, emergent vegetation and managed moist soil areas, and braided channels surrounded by degrading riparian timber.

The goals are to maintain, enhance and restore quality habitat for all native and desirable plant, animal and fish species and maintain, enhance, restore, and emulate a natural river process, structures and function for sustainable ecosystem. The objectives identified are (1) Mimic historic hydrologic fluctuation range (2) Restore the quality, quantity, and diversity of vegetation; (3) Improve sediment management across the Green Island study area (4) Increase the quality and quantity of aquatic habitat; and (5) Restore bathymetric and topographic diversity within the Green Island study area.

Potential Project Features include:

  • A pump station for water level management
  • Excavate channels to pump station
  • Excavate channels for overwintering
  • Control structures for water level management
  • Ridge, Swale and Ephemeral Wetlands
  • Implement Timber Stand Improvement techniques
  • Sediment Trap

Background

The existing forest is degrading at an alarming rate with numerous stressed and dying trees. The ox-bow lakes have lost much of their depth due to sedimentation and provide little fish refuge in the summer and winter. The pump system is old, inefficient, and expensive to operate. The old drainage ditches are sediment filled to the point that a drawdown cannot be completed to regenerate high quality moist soil or emergent and aquatic vegetation. Elevated water tables on the Mississippi River proper are also adversely affecting floodplain forest composition and regeneration.

Status

Feasibility report started in November 2019 and is scheduled for completion in fall 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

$16,600,000

Estimated Non-Federal Cost

$0

Estimated Total Project Cost

$16,600,000

Allocations Prior to FY 2024

$2,486,460

FY 2024 Allocation

$1,900,000

FY 2025 President’s Budget

$600,000

FY 2025 Total Capability

$600,000

 

Major Work Item Current Year

FY 2024: The Project moved forward with finalizing the feasibility report and pre-project monitoring.

Major Work Item Next Fiscal Year 

FY 2025: If funded, the Project will move forward with the start of design and pre-project monitoring.