Lower Mississippi River Habitat Restoration Acceleration , Phase 1
The Lower Mississippi River Habitat Restoration Partnership is a long-term effort to restore habitat connectivity and improve water quality in critical areas along the Mississippi River corridor from the Twin Cities to the Iowa border by reconnecting tributaries to their floodplains, revitalizing backwaters and channels, and protecting and restoring floodplain forests, wetlands, and prairies that are essential to sustaining the incredible diversity of plants, animals, and human uses provided by this great river. Critical areas include the lower reaches of the Root, Zumbro, Cannon, and Vermillion Rivers, and the backwaters and channels of Mississippi River Pools 2 and 3 (St. Paul to Red Wing). FY2011 funding from the LSOHC will focus on acquisition and restoration of key parcels in the Lower Root River floodplain. Acquisitions will be completed by the MN Dept of Natural Resources and restoration will be accomplished through outside contracts.
Prompt action is needed to protect and restore habitat that has been degraded in critical areas along the Mississippi River for fish and wildlife, including 82 species listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern. Channel modifications and levees along the lower end of the Zumbro and Root Rivers continues to fragment the lower tributary floodplains at their connection to the Mississippi River, resulting in a loss of wetlands, floodplain forest, and prairie. Development along the Vermillion and Lower Cannon Rivers continues to fragment floodplain forests and impact bluff landscapes. Locks and dams combined with excessive sediment from the Minnesota River watershed continue to degrade the river above Lake Pepin, with high turbidity and lack of a low water cycle preventing the growth of aquatic vegetation which provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Acting now will protect these critical areas from further degradation and provide opportunities to improve habitat connectivity and restore wetlands, forests, and prairies for fish and wildlife that live and migrate along the Mississippi River corridor.
Outdoor Heritage funding for FY2011 will focus directly on protecting 86 acres of wetlands, 135 acres of prairie, and 98 acres of forest in the Lower Root River floodplain. Of those, 20 acres of wetlands, 135 acres of prairie, and 75 acres of forest will also be restored, and 10 acres of forest will be enhanced. Most parcels that are acquired and restored will connect to existing state or federal conservation lands and increase the amount and quality of habitat for fish and wildlife along the Mississippi River.
Over 20 agencies and organizations have joined together as partners in this effort, working cooperatively to meet common goals for the Mississippi River. These partners have successfully protected and restored forests, wetlands and prairies through their individual acquisition and private lands assistance programs, and have helped reduce turbidity and sediment in the Mississippi and its tributaries through TMDL and watershed conservation efforts. Partners have the knowledge and skills to accomplish this work. Outdoor Heritage funding will allow partners to accomplish additional protection and restoration work in critical areas within the Lower Root River floodplain. Partners will leverage this program by providing staff time for restoration planning, signing, outreach and other activities.
There is general local support for these projects. As landowners accept acquisition offers these parcels will be presented to the county for approval. It is anticipated the county will continue to approve these acquisitions.
$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2011 is to the commissioner of natural resources to accelerate agency programs and for cooperative agreements to acquire land in the Root River watershed. A list of proposed acquisitions must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan. The commissioner of natural resources must agree in writing to each proposed acquisition, restoration, and enhancement. All restorations must comply with subdivision 9, paragraph (b).