Posted on November 2, 2026
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, recently awarded a contract to Brennan Marine, out of La Crosse, Wisconsin, to move dredged river sand near Wabasha, Minnesota.
The St. Paul District awarded a $9.1 million contract to Brennan Marine Sept. 29, to move 325,000 cubic yards of sand from the Corps’ Grand Encampment site to a permanent upland placement area near the Zumbro River Flats area, located south of Wabasha.
Corps officials anticipate that the work will begin next spring. The contractor will have two years to complete the project. Once complete, the work will free up future temporary storage space at the placement site to ensure the St. Paul District can continue maintaining the Mississippi River 9-foot navigation channel. The beneficial use of the dredged river sand at the upland site will also support the Corps’ concept of engineering with nature by converting the area into sand prairie and dune habitat like the nearby Weaver Dunes.
Dan Reburn, St. Paul District project manager for the project, said the work is vital to ensure the St. Paul District has future storage capacity for the dredged sand. “Maintaining the Mississippi River navigation channel is one our highest priorities,” he said. “Without storage capacity to place the dredged sand removed from the navigation channel can result in channel closures. Ensuring commodities such as corn and soybeans can safely move on the river supports producers and the regional economy.”
The St. Paul District navigation program provides a safe, reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation system on the Upper Mississippi River for the movement of commercial goods and for national security needs. To do this, the district maintains a 9-foot navigation channel and 13 locks and dams from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy.
