Location
Pool 13, Upper Mississippi River Miles 548.5 and 546.0, Jackson County, Iowa.
Description
The Green Island Project (Project) 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 (UMR) below the confluence of the Maquoketa River.
The Project are 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 to these goals are (1) Increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of vegetation within the Green Island study area, including emergent, submerged aquatic and floodplain forest vegetation; (2) Improve sediment management across the Green Island study area, reduce the impacts of sedimentation to existing habitat, and increase storage capacity; (3) Restore Green Island aquatic ecosystems for fish and other aquatic organisms by increasing the quality and quantity of aquatic habitat available; (4) Improve water level management and sustainability of existing habitat and associated plant and wildlife resources within Green Island; (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
- Water level control structures
- Island creation
- Implement Timber Stand Improvement techniques
- Sediment Basin, 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 2022.
Additional Information
Authority
CG - Construction General
Summarized Project Costs
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Estimated Federal Cost
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$ 16,600,000
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|
Estimated Non-Federal Cost
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$ 0
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Estimated Total Project Cost
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$ 16,600,000
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|
Allocations Prior to FY 2022
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$ 846,954
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FY 2021 Allocation
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$ 500,000
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FY 2022 Allocation
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TBD
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FY 2022 President’s Budget
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$ 500,000
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FY 2022 Total Capability
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$ 500,000
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Major Work Item Prior Fiscal Year
FY 2021: Funds were used to advance the feasibility report and pre-project monitoring.
Major Work Item Current Year
FY 2022: Funds are being used to continue the feasibility report and pre-project monitoring.