Overview

The Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) was the first program in the nation to combine ecosystem restoration with scientific monitoring and research efforts on a large river system.  UMRR has served the nation well since 1986, completing 55 habitat projects benefitting approximately 102,000 acres of aquatic and floodplain habitat and contributing significantly to our scientific understanding of this complex system through monitoring and research.  In addition to its achievements... Read More

History

Congress authorized the Environmental Management Program in the 1986 Water Resources Development Act to help address ecological needs on the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS).  Since the late 1980s and after Congressional authorization, the program became known as the Environmental Management Program (EMP), both locally and nationally... Read More 

Why the Upper Mississippi River Matters

The Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is one of this nation’s unique natural resources.  The UMRS is one of a small number of large river floodplain ecosystems still characterized by annual flood pulses that advance and retreat over the floodplain and temporarily expand backwaters and floodplain lakes.  The UMRS floodplain ecosystem provides... Read More