ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public comments on the proposed Pool 9 dredged material management plan that covers the Upper Mississippi River from Lock and Dam 8, near Genoa, Wisconsin, to Lock and Dam 9, near Lynxville, Wisconsin.
The purpose of the plan is to provide a coordinated, long-term plan for managing dredged material in Pool 9 for the continued operation and maintenance of the 9-foot navigation channel over a 20-year timeframe.
The Corps of Engineers is in the process of conducting a review of the environmental effects of this project in accordance with the National Environment Policy Act. A copy of the environmental assessment can be viewed and downloaded at:https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/PublicNotices.aspx. A final determination on the draft EA will be made following the public review period.
Comments must be submitted by Oct. 2. Questions can be submitted to mailto:StPaulDMMP@usace.army.mil. Please address all formal written correspondence on this project to St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers, ATTN: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite E1500, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1678.
The proposed plan was initiated because of the need for dredged material placement capacity, due to an increase in annual dredging in recent years. Additional capacity is needed to manage the approximately 2.5 million cubic yards of river sand USACE expects to dredge in Pool 9 over the next 20 years. The plan identifies placement sites USACE proposes to use for managing river sand.
The St. Paul District maintains a 9-foot navigation channel from Minneapolis to Guttenberg, Iowa. Keeping this system open is vital to the nation’s economy. In 2025, USACE staff supported the movement of over 8.5 million tons of commodities. These commodities include corn, soybeans, fertilizer and cement.
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