Staff from the Marion, Illinois Ecological Services Field Office recently developed GIS maps of the Middle Mississippi River, identifying key habitats to be protected from commercial sand and gravel dredging. 

For the past several years, the Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation have worked to develop special conditions to be placed on Department of the Army permits that authorize commercial and and gravel dredging. 

However, the special conditions are not always clear to the companies in terms of what habitats are identified for protection and specific locations.  To correct this, the Service developed maps to provide a visual reference and help companies better comply with their regulatory requirements. 

The maps are to be periodically reviewed and updated as additional information is obtained and river conditions change.