Harlan County Lake restoration project includes dredging

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have signed an agreement to begin aquatic ecosystem restoration design and construction work at Harlan County Lake, Nebraska.

The agencies have been working together over the past several years to determine feasibility and develop a conceptual design for this project. The signing of the PPA paves the way for the on-ground realization of this conceptual design effort.

The primary objectives of the project are to restore and protect degraded aquatic habitat by removing sediments that have blocked the entrance of Methodist Cove, create spawning and overwintering areas for a variety of aquatic organisms, and manage invasive vegetation.

The project will involve excavation and dredging sediment deposits to create fish passage and spawning areas, installation of breakwaters and rock groins to control erosion and sediment deposition, removal of invasive vegetation species such as salt cedar, and installation of artificial structures and/or vegetation to improve aquatic organism habitat.

Col. Travis Rayfield, commander, Kansas City District, yesterday signed the agreement for USACE and Patrick Cole, Budget and Fiscal Division Administrator, signed the agreement for the state of Nebraska.

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