The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, recently completed a draft Environmental Assessment for a proposed Sand Hill River Ecosystem Restoration Project, 20 miles southeast of Crookston, Minn.
The Corps, in partnership with the Sand Hill River Watershed District, is proposing to construct rock fill rapids to serve as a fish passage at four drop structures, or small dams, on the lower Sand Hill River. The drop structures currently prevent fish from migrating upstream. Construction of the rapids would enable fish passage for upstream migration to valuable spawning habitat.
A public review and comment period on the draft environmental assessment begins today and will end Oct. 18.
The nearly 700 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2011 $175 million budget, nearly 2,800 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $271 million to the national economy.
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Press Release, September 19, 2013