The upper iowa river is a 156-mile long, cool water river in northeast iowa that flows to the upper mississippi river

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685), provides $600,000 to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to remove the deteriorating Upper and Lower Dams on the Upper Iowa River. The dam removals will reconnect 79.1 upstream miles and 40.2 downstream miles of the river to the Upper Mississippi River, enabling the passage and dispersal of fish species such as lake sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, freshwater drum, and sauger. The project will also benefit mussels of conservation concern by improving mussel-fish host species interactions through restored upstream and downstream movement. This project aims to enhance aquatic connectivity, species diversity, and ecological resilience along the Upper Iowa River watershed, which flows to the Upper Mississippi River. The award period runs from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2028.

The upper and lower dams are deteriorating structures that are barriers to fish passage except at flood stage and both are public safety hazards. Removal of the upper DAM and lower DAM on the upper iowa river will provide passage and access to quality spawning and rearing habitat for USFWS regional priority and climate sensitive fish species-lake sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, freshwater drum, and sauger and increase the dispersal and abundance of state species of greatest conservation need mussels such as black sandshell, flutedshell, FAT mucket, elktoe, white heelsplitter, and ellipse. Mussel-fish host species interactions will significantly improve with unimpeded upstream and downstream movement of fish hosts. Removal of the dams, spillways, gates, and deteriorating powerhouse foundations are proposed. Completion of DAM removals will reconnect 79.1 upstream miles with 40.2 downstream miles to the upper mississippi river.