Marsh Lake Ecosystem Restoration Project
Construction begins at Marsh Lake
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, and our contractor, RTS Shearing, LLC, of Jamestown, North Dakota, will begin construction of the Marsh Lake Ecosystem Restoration Project April 24.
Marsh Lake is on the Minnesota River in Swift and Lac qui Parle counties near Ortonville, Minnesota.
During construction, which is scheduled for completion November 2018, roads accessing Marsh Lake Dam from both the east and west will be closured. Starting April 24, 271st. Ave. will be restricted to construction vehicles and property owners between County Road 34 and Marsh Lake Dam.
Additional closures:
– 100th St. SW West of 240 Ave SW will be closed to Marsh Lake access starting July 2017– 225th Ave. SW South of 95th St. SW will be closed to Marsh lake access starting July 2017
Once closed, the roads will remain closed until project completion, scheduled November 2018, and there will be no public access to Corps of Engineers facilities.
Updates and closure schedules will be posted to the project website, www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/Projects/Article/571148/marsh-lake-ecosystem-restoration-project/, and communicated via our social media and the Upper Minnesota River Watershed District.
The $5.9 million project involves restoring the environment by improving the waterfowl and aquatic habitat. Phase 1 includes constructing a drawdown structure and a fish passage at the Marsh Lake Dam. Phase 2 of the project includes rerouting the Pomme de Terre River to its historic channel for an additional cost of approximately $3.5 million. At less than 5 percent of the average cost for a habitat restoration project of this size, this project is expected to provide significant return in environmental and habitat restoration benefits.
The Corps is working in partnership with the Upper Minnesota River Watershed District, as its non-federal sponsor, as well as other external stakeholders such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, to ensure the project’s success.
The nearly 600 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the St. Paul District Fiscal Year 2016 $78 million budget, nearly 1,250 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $120 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.
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