Cooperative Agreement F22AC02100

THE PROJECT WILL RESTORE LANDSCAPE-SCALE HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS AND FACILITATE NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN THE MARENGO RIVER WATERSHED (MRW). THE PROJECT WILL COMPLEMENT FARM AND IN-STREAM CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO REDUCE PEAK FLOWS AND TREAT NUTRIENT RUNOFF. THE PROJECT WILL RECONSTRUCT THE BERWEGER ROAD CULVERT TO RESTORE NATURAL FLOWS AND RE-ESTABLISH FLOOD STORAGE CAPACITY IN DEGRADED WETLANDS. THE CULVERT WILL BE SIZED TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGING CLIMATIC HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS. RECONSTRUCTION OF THIS CULVERT AND IMPROVED STREAM CHANNEL FLOW IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE GREATER LANDSCAPE-SCALE HYDROLOGIC RESTORATION (NFM) STRATEGY. WITHOUT THIS FUNDING, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE DESIRED CHANNEL FLOODPLAIN CONNECTIVITY AND WETLAND IMPROVEMENT. THE CULVERT RECONSTRUCTION WILL BENEFIT WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR FOCAL SPECIES SUCH AS MUDPUPPY. THE ADJACENT WETLAND COMPLEX WILL BE ENHANCED AND PROTECTED THROUGH RESTORED STREAM FLOW AND SEDIMENT REDUCTION, THUS BENEFITTING FOCAL SPECIES INCLUDING BLUE-WINGED TEAL AND CANADA WARBLERS. SEDIMENT REDUCTION WILL IMPROVE DOWNSTREAM WATER QUALITY AND SPAWNING HABITAT FOR TRIBALLY SIGNIFICANT FISH SPECIES INCLUDING LAKE STURGEON.GOALS INCLUDE: ENHANCE SURFACE WATER RESOURCES, REDUCE NON-POINT POLLUTION TO THE MARENGO RIVER AND LAKE SUPERIOR, IMPLEMENT PROJECTS TO DEMONSTRATE SLOW-THE-FLOW AND FLOOD ADAPTATION PRACTICES, AND REPLACE BERWEGER ROAD CULVERTS WITH ONE BOX CULVERT. THE PROJECT SERVES A FINANCIALLY DEPRESSED ECONOMIC AND FLOOD-PRONE REGION. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: 60 ACRES WETLAND RESTORED; 6 MILES STREAM RESTORED; AND 10 OUTREACH EFFORTS: TOURS, SITE VISITS, AND ARTICLES PROVIDED.