Posted on September 30, 2024
ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, celebrated the completion of three Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program, or NESP, projects on the Illinois River yesterday, Sept. 24.
The district held the dedication ceremony for Alton Pool Islands, Twin Islands and Moore’s Towhead NESP projects as part of the kick-off of the district’s annual River Resources Action Team, or RRAT, barge trip on the Mississippi River.
These projects achieve multiple and lasting objectives. They enhance the geomorphic diversity and reduce erosion; they create and/or improve deep water fish habitat; they improve native fish habitat; and they increase side channel diversity.
“NESP has two components: navigation and ecosystem,” explained Col. Andy Pannier, St. Louis District commander. “While navigation projects garner a lot of attention, the ecosystem part of the program is equally as important. Which is why we are here today.”
The ecosystem part of NESP consists of approximately 225 projects on the Upper Mississippi River and they come in many different shapes and sizes: Island building, floodplain restoration, water level management, backwater or side channel restoration, spillway, dam and levee modification. If the project is on federal land, then it 100% federally funded. If non-federal land is included, the cost is split 65-percent federal, 35-percent non-federal.
About the RRAT trip: The St. Louis District hosts the annually RRAT trip on the Upper Mississippi River within the St. Louis District. The event is the St. Louis District’s coordination forum to discuss environmental issues, compliance and share lessons learned with the district’s partners and stakeholders. The trip has taken place each year since the early 70s, after the passage of groundbreaking environmental laws, such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
A dedication ceremony for three recently completed Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program projects was held Sept. 24, 2024, at the beginning of the annual River Resources Action Team barge trip.
Shane Simmons (left), Project Manager, St. Louis District Corps. of Engineers, and Col. Andy Pannier (right), District Commander, St. Louis District United States Army Corps. of Enginners, cut the ribbon on Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program’s island restoration projects. The ribbon was being cut on three island restoration projects. The purpose of these restorations are to decrease sedimentation, eroding of islands, and potential loss of side channels and loss of natural fish and wildlife habitats should islands erode.
