Location
The southernmost portion of Pool 21, Mississippi River between River Miles 332.0 and 327.0, Adams County, Illinois.
Description
The Quincy Bay Area Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project (Project) is located within the Quincy Bay Area Restoration and Enhancement Association (QBAREA) Planning Area.
Quincy Bay is a backwater lake complex measuring approximately 4 miles long with a variable width of up to 2 miles. The area is composed of interconnected channels and small bays, an existing small boat harbor, and a small boat access channel. However, UMRR is an ecosystem restoration authority and cannot address the ongoing issues with the Boat Harbor and Quincy Bay maintenance of the 5’ channel. Land within Quincy Bay consists of bottomland deciduous forests that provide nesting habitat for Neotropical migratory birds and roosting and foraging habitat for bat species. Existing floodplain forests are dominated by silver maple and remnant patches of emergent aquatic vegetation remain.
This project will accomplish several ecosystem restoration goals which include: 1) providing a diversity of underwater depths (habitats) for many of the nearly 70 fish species found in this part of the Mississippi River; 2) creation of topographically diverse areas to support hard mast trees that have been lost as well as a variety of aquatic and floodplain species dependent on these resources; and 3) a reduction in excessive sediment deposition to the Quincy Bay area which adversely affects the quantity and quality of the habitat.
Potential Project Features include:
- Dredging of portions of the project and connected sloughs and lakes to restore aquatic habitat
- Construction of a rock dike/weir structure or friction channel at the small boat access channel to reduce velocity and sediment transport
- Increase topographic diversity above-flood elevation areas for reforestation and wetland vegetation species.
Background
The construction of Lock & Dam 21 (1938), a railroad bridge (late 1950s), levees and the opening of a small-boat access channel across Bay Island (1969) resulted in changes to water flow patterns and sediment accumulation in the Middle and Upper Bay. Those features, along with the naturally occurring sedimentation from Mississippi River flooding and tributary streams, have resulted in shallower waters in Quincy Bay and a higher flood frequency and duration over the past several years. This increased sedimentation and loss of connectivity has resulted in significant degradation of deep-water habitat and fragmentation of fish, wildlife, and migratory bird habitat.
The Project was submitted to the Fish and Wildlife Interagency Committee on October 15, 2019 and endorsed by the River Resources Coordinating Team on November 21, 2019. his fact sheet was endorsed by the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Coordinating Committee on February 26, 2020 with Mississippi Valley Division approval on October 13, 2020.
Status
The feasibility study was initiated in August 2021 and is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Additional Information
Authority
SI - Special Interest
River and Harbor Act of 1962
Summarized Project Costs
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Estimated Federal Cost
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$ 25,000,000
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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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$ 25,000,000
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Allocations Prior to FY 2022
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$ 17,616
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FY 2021 Allocation
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$ 50,000
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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 initiate feasibility report and pre-project monitoring.
Major Work Item Current Year
FY 2022: Funds will be used to continue the feasibility report and pre-project monitoring.