For every $10 million spent on a NESP ecosystem restoration project construction, 306 full-time equivalent jobs are created in manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, recreation, transportation, and energy, equaling $26,426,000 (2022 dollars) in economic output to the Nation.
Inland navigation on the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) saves an estimated $26.17 per ton compared to overland transportation (based on 2015 costs), resulting in annual savings of over $3 billion.
Since 2022, the program has restored 413 acres of ecosystem habitat, providing environmental, recreational, economic, and tourism benefits to the region. The wing dam notching in Pool 2, completed in July 2023, increased the diversity of the river's depth and flow improving the habitat for fish and other aquatic species. The restored aquatic habitat has a led to increased recreational use in the area.
NESP works to protect important cultural resources, such as partnering with the National Park Service to preserve the Sny Magill Unit at Effigy Mounds National Monument and prevent erosion of burial and ceremonial mounds from 19 tribes.
Improvements to the UMRS and the Navigation channel creates a healthier river system while supporting recreational activities, like fishing and boating, alongside a working river. The construction of Lock and Dam 14 Downstream Mooring Cell has decreased transit time to the lock by 33% in one year and reduces potential for shoreline damage.
441 acres of forest on the UMRS have been restored so far (including removing invasive plants, removing brush, and planting trees). Removal of Japanese Hops, a nuisance vine, at Potage Island in Pool 26 decreased the chances of wildfires and improved over 15 acres of cottonwood forest to support bird nesting sites.