Upper end of Buffalo Chute located on the Middle Mississippi River. An NESP project is proposed to restore habitat diversity in the side channel and improve fisheries access. US Army Corps of Engineers photo.

Lower end of Buffalo Chute located on the Middle Mississippi River. An NESP project is proposed to restore habitat diversity in the side channel and improve fisheries access. U.S. Army Corps of Enginneers photo.

The Herculaneum Reach of the Middle Mississippi River. An NESP stone dike alteration project is proposed in this habitat-limited reach of the Middle Mississippi River. US Army Corps of Engineers photo.

Interagency cooperation at the joint River Resources Action Team (RRAT) and River Resources Coordination Team (RRCT) in Hannibal, Missouri. Pictured left to right: Janet Sternburg (Missouri Dept. of Conservation), Joyce Collins (USFWS, Marion, IL and RRAT co-chair), and Leonard Hopkins (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District). US Army Corps of Engineers photo.

Interagency coordination on the Middle Mississippi River. US Army Corps of Engineers photo.

Interagency coordination on the Middle Missisisppi River. USFWS Assistant Field Supervisor Joyce Collins speaks to participants. US Army Corps of Engineers photo.

FY 2008 represented another very busy year for Marion, Illinois, Ecological Services Sub-Office (MISO) staff working with the Army Corps of Engineers and other partners to plan and implement habitat restoration projects on the Upper Mississippi River.  The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 authorized the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program on the Upper Mississippi.  The authorization required the development of system, reach and project level goals and objectives and implementation of an adaptive management program for evaluation of program performance in meeting these goals and objectives. 

In FY 2008, MISO staff participated in Navigation Environmental Coordination Committee  meetings and conference calls in order to stay aware of overall program direction for NESP.  We reviewed the draft NESP Implementation Guidance and provided feedback through Fish and Wildlife Service channels for input to the Corps.

As co-chair of the River Resources Action Team, the interagency river coordination team for the Corps' St. Louis District, and a member of the RRAT Executive Team, MISO staff has been working with partners to develop system- and reach-specific goals and objectives for NESP.  This included attending a Goals and Objectives Workshop to enhance our understanding of what constitutes a good objective, and attending a "Pilot" workshop for a specific geomorphic reach to observe the Fish and Wildlife Workgroup process for developing objectives.  Information from these workshops will be critical to ensuring the RRAT develops objectives suitable to the reaches in the St. Louis District and does this in an efficient manner.  Key partners include the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

In addition, to working to develop goals and objectives, MISO staff have been coordinating with Corps staff to develop project-specific performance monitoring plans for the Schenimann Chute, Buffalo Chute and Herculaneum Reach habitat restoration projects.  MISO staff provided technical feedback to the Corps to ensure the monitoring plans incorporate an adaptive management approach to ensure that future monitoring will enable assessment of project, reach and system-wide objectives.  MISO staff also provided technical feedback to the Corps in development of performance indicators for these projects.  In addition, MISO staff provided a draft Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report for the Herculaneum Habitat Restoration Project and a supplemental Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report for the Schenimann Chute Habitat Restoration Project.  The Corps' project implementation reports for these projects are anticipated to be completed in the near future.  Finally, MISO staff members continue to participate on the planning team for the Mel Price Fish Passage Project, including attending numerous meetings and conference calls.

As co-chair of the RRAT, MISO staff was called upon to chair a joint meeting of the RRAT and the Corps Rock Island District's River Resources Coordination Team.  This joint meeting was necessary due to a proposal by the state of Illinois to establish separate river coordination teams for the NESP program on the Illinois River.  A representative of the Illinois Lt. Governor's Office submitted the formal proposal to be reviewed by the various partner agencies and river coordination teams.  MISO staff provided feedback on the proposal through Fish and Wildlife Service channels and also through the RRAT. 

In addition to several coordination efforts for the NESP program, MISO staff also continues to be active with the Upper Mississippi River Environmental Management Program.  This includes attending Environmental Management Program Coordinating Committee meetings to remain up to date on the overall program management aspects of EMP and also working with the St. Louis District in planning and implementing site-specific projects.  This fiscal year MISO staff contributed to the planning of the Ted Shanks and Wilkinson Island projects.  Additionally, MISO completed a final Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report for the Pools 25 and 26 Islands project.