The USACE St. Paul District recently awarded a $2.4 million contract to Water Works Dock & Boat Lifts to repair a Mississippi River habitat restoration project approximately 40 miles south of La Crosse, Wisconsin, that was damaged by recent flooding events.
Consecutive years of high water, including record flows in 2019, resulted in severe erosion to several islands.
The islands were completely submerged for more than 90 days in 2019. In addition to the erosion, deep backwater fish habitat was also damaged due to increased sediment.
The repairs include fixing the damaged islands and fish habitat. The work is anticipated to take two years to complete, said USACE.
This project is funded under the authority of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.
This program is intended to ensure the coordinated development and enhancement of the Upper Mississippi River system with primary emphasis on habitat restoration projects and resource monitoring.
The Corps of Engineers partners on this project include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.