Posted on July 30, 2025
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking comments on a draft Environmental Assessment, or EA, for a proposed Johnson Island ecosystem restoration project in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, in Pool 6 of the Upper Mississippi River.
The quantity and quality of backwater habitat has degraded due to shoreline erosion, sedimentation and excessive river flow entering via a side channel. The proposed project would address degraded backwater habitat for an island complex between Upper Mississippi river miles 716–718 in Pool 6.
The tentatively selected plan would restore approximately 66 acres of degraded backwater and floodplain forest habitat. Restoration efforts would include dredging to remove accumulated sediment and constructing a rock sill to reduce flow and velocity, resulting in significant improvements to the quality of overwintering habitat for fish. Additional restoration measures would include shoreline stabilization, upland thin layer placement, and marsh excavation to minimize island loss and improve conditions for forest and wetlands.
Construction of the proposed actions is scheduled to be carried out across two seasons beginning in 2028, followed by one year of vegetation plantings, depending on available funding.
A final determination on the draft EA will be made following the public review period. A copy of the EA can be viewed and downloaded from the St. Paul District website at: https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/PublicNotices.aspx. The Corps of Engineers is conducting a review of the environmental effects in accordance with the National Environment Policy Act.
Comments should be submitted no later than Aug. 28. Questions and comments concerning the project should be directed to CEMVP_Planning@usace.army.mil. Please address all correspondence on this project to the St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attention: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite E1500, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101.
The project is funded under the Navigation Ecosystem Sustainability Program. NESP is a long-term, dual-purpose program that integrates navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration together to provide positive impacts to the Upper Mississippi River System. The primary goals of the program are to increase the capacity and improve the reliability of the inland navigation system while restoring, protecting, and enhancing the environment.
