Lower Wild Rice River Corridor Habitat Restoration - Phase III
This Corridor Habitat Restoration Project is a cooperative effort between the District (WRWD), MN Board of Soil
and Water Resources (MNBWSR), MN DNR, and Red River Watershed Management Board (RRWMB). This is a
voluntary program with the long-term goal to restore a natural corridor area along the Lower Reach of the Wild
Rice River. When completed, the project will restore 23 channelized river miles to 50 miles of natural stream
channel. The funding from this allocation was used to protect and restore approximately 151 acres of floodplain
forest, wetland, and grassland habitat along the Wild Rice River.
The long-term goal of the Wild Rice River Corridor Habitat Restoration Project is to restore a natural corridor area
along the Lower Reach of the Wild Rice River. When completed, the project will restore 23 channelized river miles
to 50 miles of natural stream channel.
Due to the overall size of the initiative, it is planned that the project will be conducted in multiple phases over the
next decades. The phases were established to allow both for orderly implementation of the project and to ensure
that wildlife and habitat benefits would be gained from the onset of implementation.
The following describes the anticipated phases and major work items anticipated under each phase.
Phase 1 - Land Acquisition/Restoration - This phase will involve acquisition of a Conservation Easements to
provide the Wild Rice Watershed District land rights to install and maintain future phases of implementation. As
part of this phase, the production of agricultural crops within the parcel would cease and the area would be
restored to a permanent vegetative cover by the landowner as set forth in the Conservation Easement conservation
plan.
Phase 2 - Detailed Design and Setback Levee Construction - Once a significant reach of property has been enrolled
as part of Phase 1 and detailed design for the corridor restoration has been completed, the existing river-side
levees would be decommissioned and replaced with new levees setback further from the river. The alignment of
these levees would be established to maximize the use of the available Phase 1 corridor and to allow for future
implementation of Channel Rehabilitation under Phase 3.
Phase 3 - Channel Rehabilitation - Phase 3 will involve restoration of the channel along an approximately 23-mile
segment of river. This restoration will reconnect many segments of the natural river that were cutoff by the
channelized, leveed river channel. Reconnecting the floodplain will also benefit adjacent prairie and wetlands.
During this phase, it is anticipated that a combination of modifications to historic oxbows that were cut off during
the earlier straightening project and new meandering river channel segments would be constructed to create a
long-term stable river channel In addition, wetlands will be restored where determined practicable and
compatible with setback levee and channel rehabilitation locations.
Funding from this allocation was utilized specifically for Phase 1.
$1,888,000 the second year is to acquire land in permanent conservation easement and to restore river and related habitat in the Wild Rice River corridor. Of this amount, $148,000 is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the Wild Rice Watershed District and $1,740,000 is to the Board of Water and Soil Resources. The Board of Water and Soil Resources may use up to $78,000 for establishing a monitoring and enforcement fund as approved in the accomplishment plan and subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 97A.056, subdivision 17. A list of proposed acquisitions must be included as part of the required accomplishment plan.
Funding from this allocation was utilized for the land acquisition phase of the long term project that will restore 50
miles of river and over 6,500 acres of habitat for associated fish and wildlife communities. The Wild Rice River and
associated prairie and forest lowland habitats were identified as key habitats for species of greatest conservation
need in the Red River Prairie ecoregion. Key among aquatic species is the Lake Sturgeon, a species of special
concern. The Wild Rice River provides sturgeon habitat and restoration of the river will help ensure successful
reestablishment of sturgeon populations in the Red River basin. This project will also likely benefit mussel and
insect populations in the Wild Rice River. Two species of mussels, black sandshell and fluted-shell are listed as
species of special concern are known to be present in the upstream reaches of the Wild Rice River. Two species of
caddisfly present in the Wild Rice River are also listed as species of special concern. Acquisition and restoration of
the stream and associated riparian wetlands will also improve habitat for Channel Catfish, Northern Pike,
Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and more than 50 other fish species present in other reaches of the Wild Rice River.
Wild Rice Watershed District