2005 pool-wide drawdown of Pool 5 on the Upper Mississippi River. The top photo was taken in July during the beginning of the drawdown and the bottom photo taken in September. Photo by Tim Schlangenhaft, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Pool-scale drawdowns on the Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota and Wisconsin restored/enhanced over three thousand acres of aquatic vegetation for fish and wildlife, especially migratory waterfowl.  Most of these restored wetlands are located on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  A new report summarizing drawdown results was prepared by the interagency Water Level Management Task Force and is available at www.drawdowns.com.  Other reports and photographs are also available at this site.  Anticipating similar results, a pool-scale drawdown of Pool 6 is currently being planned for the summer of 2008.