Spring Lake Islands Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project

The 500-acre Spring Lake Island project is located in pool 5 of the Upper Mississippi River at Buffalo City, Wisconsin.  This habitat project was completed under authority of the Environmental Management Program as a cooperative effort of the Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, and the public.

Natural islands along the west side of Spring Lake had eroded and many had disappeared since the creation of Pool 5.  Previously these islands protected the lake from the effects of the main river channel and served to reduce wind fetch and the associated wave action. Loss of the islands was degrading the shallow water fish and wildlife habitat in the lake because of higher turbidity levels and undesirable conditions for aquatic plant beds.

The project included building four islands and protecting three islands and one peninsula along the west side and within Spring Lake to restore habitat and diversity.  The islands were built with material dredged from within Spring Lake, which created deeper areas for improved fish habitat.  The project will slow continued degradation and enhance productivity of both fish and wildlife by protecting this valuable shallow backwater.  The project was substantially completed in July 2006 at a total construction cost of $3.7 million. Costs were 100 percent Federal.