AUTHORIZATION:  Section 101 of River and Harbor Act 1962, Section 321 of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1996 (Public Law (PL) 104-303), which added fish and wildlife and habitat restoration as project purposes, Section 311 of WRDA 2000 (PL 106-541), which added recreation as a project purpose.

Kaskaskia River Navigation Project Map

Side Channel Cleanout / Habitat Restoration

Location and Description:  The project is located in south-central Illinois and empties into the Mississippi River 118 miles above the Ohio River. The project consists of a 36 mile navigation channel; one 600–foot lock; dam; gated spillway; 2,901 acres fee and O & M easement lands; 5,593 acres of flowage easement; The project supports three barge terminals; two marinas; four major recreation areas with boat ramps; & numerous minor access points. Authorized purposes are navigation, recreation, fish & wildlife, & habitat restoration.

Activities in FY 2010 ($2,021k)
- Operate & maintain lock 24/7 with increased level of risk
- Relief & drainage repairs/monitor grade control defer miter gate strut installation

ARRA Allocation thru 28 Feb 10 ($18,168k) (top 5 listed below)
- Dredge New Athens to Fayetteville (awarded)
- Replace miter gate struts (awarded)
- Provide municipal water from Ellis Grove (awarded)
- Side channel cleanout (awarded)
- Remove asbestos from lock buildings (complete)

Sponsor: Project is 100 percent federally funded. Stakeholders are Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Kaskaskia Regional Port District, Lower Kaskaskia Stakeholders, Inc., Kaskaskia Watershed Association, Inc., various State and local interests.