Sturgeon Lake project wraps up for the season

Construction works under Sturgeon Lake island erosion project have been completed for this season and will resume with the placement of fine material and tree planting in 2022, informs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District.

This project involves protecting and restoring floodplain forest habitat of an important 8-acre island adjacent to Buffalo Slough at the head of Sturgeon Lake near Red Wing, Minnesota.

By beneficially reusing approximately 4,000 cubic yards of dredged material from the Mississippi River at Diamond Bluff and 8,000 cubic yards of material near the marina in Sturgeon Lake the Corps will raise the elevation of the Buffalo Slough Island by up to 2 feet.

The island improvements will increase the size of the island by approximately two acres, protect it from erosion and deflect the flow of the river away from the island.

When full complete, the project will restore the floodplain forest that once dominated the island, as well as create wetland habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.