2.01 -- General

2.02 -- Facilities and Infrastructure

2.03 -- Natural Resource Management Programs

2.04 -- Public Use

2.01 General

1. Public Lands

   The 49,000 acres of public owned lands administered by the St. Louis District Corps for the Navigation impoundments are primarily confined to low-lying parts of the floodplain along the banks of the pools, and some of the islands. The USFWS, the IDNR and MDC partner with the Corps to manage significant portions of these lands for fish and wildlife habitat and refuge and outdoor recreational purposes, under a "General Plan and Cooperative Agreement" with the Corps of Engineers. Except for Kaskaskia Lock and Dam, and the Cache River Diversion Channel, there are no Corps managed public lands on the open river below Locks and Dam 27.

   Table 1-1 summarizes information for the five navigation projects.

   Table -1
   Principal Features of Navigation Pools 24, 25, 26, 27 and Kaskaskia L&D

   -	Pool 24	Pool 25	Pool 26	Pool 27	Kaskaskia
   Length of Pool (miles)	27.8	32	MS -40.7-IL-80.1	15.6	35.2
   River Mile Limits	301.2 - 273.4	273.4 - 241.4	241.4 - 200.7	200.7 - 185.1	.8 - 36.2
   Max Regulated Pool Elevation msl	449	434	419	402	368
   Pool Surface Area(acres)	13,000	18,000	32,000	489 (canal only)	--
   Shoreline Miles	62	68	260	13	-
   Land Owned by Corps	9,121	10,092	25,908	3,406	436.45 Fee Title/ O&M Easement 2,465
   Corps Flowage Easement	1,333	947	4,335	200	5,593
   Privately Owned Shoreline	18 (29%)	39.7 (58%)	56 (80%)	-	-
   Est. Acres above Op. Pool	4,506	5,046	11,100	3300	-
   Mitigation Land			1,482	530	-
   Shoreline Acres	1,063	671	1,325	-	-
   Cooperative Agreement w/USFWS	-	2,135	4,135	-	-
   Cooperative Agreement w/IDNR	2,354	3,868	10,056	-	-
   Cooperative Agreement w/MDC/MDNR	5,891	2,957	3,736	-	-

   All elevations stated herein are based upon the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (N.G.V.D.).

2. Waters
   1. The Mississippi River is the major source of surface water supplies. The average flow meets current demands and will satisfy projected demands. Extensive groundwater supplies of high-yield sand and gravel aquifers underlie major parts of the region. The thickness of these layers varies from 70 to 100 feet. Industrial and municipal pumping accounts for most of the water withdrawals. Yields of 1,000 gallons per minute and over are common for individual wells.
   2. The water resources serve many needs. Variations in precipitation, topography, regulation, flood control works and land use practices cause fluctuations in flow volume. Average annual flow of the Mississippi almost doubles between Alton, Illinois (2,802 cubic meters per second) and Thebes, Illinois (5,480 cubic meters per second).
   3. The Illinois River is a major source of surface and ground water supplies throughout its length. The average flow currently meets the surface water supply demands and it is expected to meet future demands as well. Above DePue, the river valley is narrow and only scattered sand and gravel deposits are present for development. Much of the water use from this portion of the river is through surface water withdrawals. Below DePue, extensive sand and gravel deposits occupy the bottom land portion of the waterway. Wells tapping these deposits range in depth from 30' to 165' with reported pumping rates up to and over 1,000 gallons per minute. Industrial, municipal and irrigation pumpage accounts for almost all of the water withdrawals from this portion of the river.
3. Shoreline
   1. Recreational opportunities available on the navigation pool area are primarily on shoreline lands. Many of the Government shoreline acres developed for public use, are contiguous with a public road network from which access to the shoreline is feasible and economical. Other project shoreline lands with characteristics desirable for the development of public access cannot be utilized because of privately owned land that intervenes between the project shoreline and the public road system. In some cases, shoreline lands are so far removed from the existing public road network that the provision of access roads to the project lands would be costly to build, operate and maintain.
   2. Shoreline acres are defined as 208 linear feet of shoreline not less than 208 feet deep. Additional areas have easement rights purchased by the Government during the original acquisition, which restrict certain private use and development activities. Government ownership of shoreline on navigation pools varies between 20% and 71%.

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2.02 Facilities and Infrastructure

1. Navigation, flood control, recreation, environmental, interpretive, and administrative facilities and structures are summarized in the following paragraphs. More detailed descriptions of these functional areas are described in other sections.
   1. Navigation Locks and Dams
      1. Navigation Pool 24

         Navigation Pool 24 extends from the dam at Clarksville, Missouri, (mile 273.4) 27.8 miles up the Mississippi River to Lock and Dam 22 at Saverton, Missouri. The dam is approximately 73 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. Missouri Highway 79, Illinois Highway 96 and U.S. 54 provide access to the project area. The project is located in Pike and Ralls Counties in Missouri and Calhoun and Pike Counties in Illinois. The Salt River, which is the principal tributary, flows into the pool from the Missouri side about 11 miles north of the dam. This river has a drainage area of about 2,900 square miles.

         The U.S. acquired 9,121 acres of land in fee for construction of Navigation Pool 24. Control of an additional 1,333 acres of land is provided via flowage easements. It is estimated that approximately 50%, or 4,506 acres, of fee lands are above the operating pool level. The Government-owned lands covered by this plan lie only slightly above the maximum regulated pool elevation. These lands, except for a few fringe areas, are subject to inundation by normal overflows of the Mississippi River. Most of these lands are valuable as fish and wildlife habitat. They also offer valuable recreational opportunities for hunting and fishing.

         The pool has a water surface area of approximately 13,000 acres at maximum regulated pool elevation 449.0 mean sea level (msl).

         There are approximately 62 shoreline miles along the pool, of which 18 miles, approximately 29%, are privately owned. The remaining 44 miles, 71%, of the shoreline are in Government ownership. Government-owned shoreline totals 1,063 acres.

      2. Navigation Pool 25

         Navigation Pool 25 extends from the dam at Winfield, Missouri, (mile 241.4), 32 miles up the Mississippi River to Lock and Dam 24 at Clarksville, Missouri. The dam is approximately 45 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. Missouri Highway 79 and Illinois Highway 100 provide access to the project area. The project is located in Pike and Lincoln Counties in Missouri, and Calhoun County in Illinois. The Sny River, which drains about 750 square miles, is the principal tributary. It flows into the pool from the Illinois side about 20 miles north of the dam.

         The U.S. acquired 10,092 acres of land in fee for construction of Navigation Pool 25. Control of an additional 947 acres of land is provided via flowage easements. It is estimated that approximately 50%, or 5,046 acres, of fee lands are above the operating pool level. The Government-owned lands covered by this plan lie only slightly above the maximum regulated pool elevation. These lands, except for a few fringe areas, are subject to inundation by normal overflows of the Mississippi River. Most of these lands are valuable as fish and wildlife habitat. They also offer valuable recreational opportunities for hunting and fishing.

         The pool has a water surface area of approximately 18,000 acres at maximum regulated pool elevation 434.0 mean sea level (msl).

         There are approximately 68 shoreline miles along the pool, of which 39.7 miles, approximately 58% are privately owned. The remaining 28.3 miles, 42%, of the shoreline are in Government ownership. Government-owned shoreline totals 671 acres.

      3. Melvin Price Navigation Dam.

         Navigation Pool 26 extends from Melvin Price Locks and Dam (the replacement for Locks and Dam No. 26) two miles downstream from Alton, Illinois (RM 200.8), 40.7 mile up the Mississippi River to Lock and Dam 25 at Winfield, Missouri, and up the Illinois River from its mouth at Grafton, Illinois to the LaGrange Lock and Dam, 80.2 miles upstream. The Melvin Price Dam is approximately 17 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. Interstates 70, 270 and 255; U.S. 67 (Missouri); Missouri Highways 79 and 94, and Illinois Highways 3, 111, 140, 143, and 100 provide access to the project area. The project is located adjacent to the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers in St. Charles and Lincoln Counties in Missouri, and Madison, Jersey, Calhoun and Green Counties in Illinois. The principal tributary on the Mississippi River section of the pool is the Cuivre River, which enters the river from the Missouri side about 38 miles north of the dam and drains an area of about 1,230 square miles. Macoupin Creek is the main tributary on the Illinois River segment of the pool. It enters the river from the Jersey County side about 23 miles north of Grafton, Illinois, i.e., the mouth of the Illinois River. Macoupin Creek has a drainage area of about 947 square miles.

         During the 1930s, the U.S. acquired 22,236 acres of land in fee for construction of Navigation Pool 26. Approximately 3,671.62 additional acres were acquired for the replacement Locks and Dam (i.e., Melvin Price Locks and Dam), of which about 1,482 acres are for mitigation purposes. Mitigation lands consist of 620 acres at Horseshoe Lake in Madison County, Illinois, and 862 acres on Cuivre Island in St. Charles and Lincoln Counties, Missouri (RM 233-239). Control of an additional 4,335 acres of land is provided by easement estates. Based on the guide-taking elevation for acquisition, approximately half of all fee lands are above the operating pool level. Therefore, the fee owned lands, except for a few fringe areas, are subject to inundation by normal overflows of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. These lands are valuable as fish and wildlife habitat. Valuable recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, bird watching, hiking and photography are available to the public .

         Pool 26 has a water surface area of approximately 32,000 acres at maximum regulated pool elevation (419.0 feet) of which 25,900 acres are Mississippi River water and the remaining 6,100 acres are in the Illinois River.

         There are approximately 260 shoreline miles along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, of which 204 miles, approximately 80%, are privately owned. The remaining 56 miles, approximately 20%, of the shoreline are in Government fee ownership. Additional areas have easement rights purchased by the Government during the original acquisition, which restrict certain private use and development activities.

         The dam consists of a 1,160-foot gated section and 2,000-foot overflow section. A 600' and 1,200' lock are located on the left bank.

      4. Navigation Pool 27

         The Chain of Rocks Canal was authorized by Act of Congress on March 2, 1945. The plan approved included a lateral canal on the left bank, or Illinois side, of the Mississippi River between river miles 184 and 194.5 (above the mouth of the Ohio River) with a 1,200-foot main and a 600-foot auxiliary lock at the downstream end of the canal, approximately due west of Granite City, Illinois. This improvement is part of the Mississippi River Nine-foot Channel Project and was designed to bypass a dangerous reach of the Mississippi River in which rock ledges, excessive velocities, and shallow navigation depths constituted hazards to navigation. Levees were constructed on each side of the canal, the west canal levee affording protection to the Chouteau Island Drainage and Levee District, and the east canal levee forming a component part of the riverfront levee system of the East Side Levee and Sanitary District which protects the valuable industrial area adjacent to East St. Louis, Illinois. Construction of the canal, levee and locks was essentially completed in February 1953 when the project was first opened to river traffic. The project lands total 3,406 acres, which includes 3,126 acres purchased in fee and 280 acres that were transferred to the Corps of Engineers for the purpose of the project from the Granite City Army Depot.

         Upon completion of the Chain of Rocks Canal and Locks 27, the problem of the rock ledge in the river at mile 190.3 Upper Mississippi River was eliminated. However, during this period, a new problem developed. The river bed downstream of the old Locks and Dam 26 at Alton was scouring and finally reached a point where the water surface at low flow resulted in less than nine-foot project depth over the lower concrete sills at the locks. To alleviate this problem a low water rock-fill dam was constructed across the river. Dam construction started in Fiscal year 1959. The dam is located at river mile 190.3 and is built to an elevation which ensured a minimum of ten feet of water over the lower sills at old Locks and Dam 26, thus eliminating the low flow navigation difficulties at that location. The project was placed in operation in November 1962.

      5. Kaskaskia Lock and Dam

         Kaskaskia Lock and Dam is located at Kaskaskia River mile 0.8 on a reconstructed portion of the Kaskaskia River channel in Randolph County, Illinois approximately 20 miles north of Chester, Illinois. Channel improvements extend upstream through Monroe County to Fayetteville in St. Clair County, Illinois. Through channelization, the river distance between Fayetteville, Illinois and the confluence of the Kaskaskia River with the Mississippi River at Mississippi River mile 118 has been effectively reduced from 50 to 36 miles. The project consists of a 600-foot lock, upper and lower floating guidewalls and a dam containing a movable section of two tainter gates. The dam site is bounded on one side by the Prairie du Rocher Levee District levee. The project's maximum regulated pool elevation is 368.0 N.G.V.D. The project was placed in operation and pool was established on July 10, 1974.

         Maximum Pool. Since completion of construction and attainment of full pool in July 1974, the maximum upper pool has been 394.75 N.G.V.D., occurring on 8 August 1993. This elevation was due to backwater from the flooding Mississippi River in the Summer of 1993 (Photos 1-6, Appendix A).

         Lock. The lock consists of an 84-foot by 600-foot lock chamber, gate bays, a culvert type filling and emptying system complete with culvert tainter valves, miter gates, upper and lower floating guide walls, control house, control station, access bridge, and sheetpile/clay-plug cutoff. The lock chamber, gate bays, and approach bays are of "U-frame" design, founded on sand, without pile support. Bulkheads are provided for temporary closure for repair and maintenance operations; bulkhead handling equipment is provided by a floating plant.

         Dam. The dam is a reinforced concrete gravity structure founded entirely on sand. It consists of a two-gate spillway, cutoff walls extending into earthen abutments both left and right, walkway bridge, storage yard and overhead monorail crane for placing bulkheads. The spillway consists of three reinforced concrete piers with two 60-foot wide by 30-foot high non-submersible structural steel tainter gates. This structure is not designed for a reverse differential head. The 70-foot long stilling basin has one row of 10-foot high baffle blocks and a 4-foot high end sill to dissipate water energy. Closure of the old abandoned river channel was accomplished with an earthen dam. Spoil from the construction site was then used to fill in the old channel.

         Table 2– 1 below summarizes the St. Louis District navigation facilities and infrastructure of the five Locks and Dams of the St. Louis District.

   Table 2– 1
   Navigation Facilities and Infrastructure

   River	Mississippi River	Mississippi River	Mississippi River	Mississippi River	Kaskaskia
   Navigation Project	24	25	26	27	Kaskaskia
   # Locks	1 RB*	1 RB*	2 LB	2	1
   Lock Dimension (ft.)	110x600 RB	110x600 RB	110x600 110x1200	110x1200 110x600	84x600
   Dam Length (ft.)	1,340	1,296	1,160	-	-
   Overflow Dike Length	-	-	2,000	-	-
   Gate #	15 - 80'	14-60, 3-100'	9-110	-	2-60'
   Gate Type	Tainter	Tainter, Roller	Tainter	-	Tainter
   Guidewalls	2-600'	2-600'	4-900-1500'	-	2
   Year placed in Operation	1940	1939	1989 (2nd 1994)	1953/1962	1974

   *RB = Right bank

   1. Dredging and Dredged Material Uses

      Dredging occurs in all the navigable rivers of the District. Two dredges are used to dredge various reaches of the river: the dustpan dredge is owned and operated by the Corps and the cutter head is under contract to the District. The Corps maintains their dredge at the St. Louis District Service Base in St. Louis.

      1. The St. Louis District coordinates with affected agencies regarding locations that may require dredging and the proposed disposal sites. Agency representatives occasionally recommend alternative disposal sites. Some of these are accepted wherever and whenever feasible. However, others are rejected because of insufficient equipment capability, namely, a lack of enough pipeline to reach an alternate site or not enough pumping capacity to dispose dredge materials onshore. All dredged material disposal sites are coordinated with the natural resource agencies. Occasionally, emergency dredging takes place when the navigation channel is blocked.
      2. When maintenance dredging occurs, excavated material is normally placed in the main channel border. When possible, beneficial use of dredged material occurs. The beneficial uses include beach creation for recreation, least tern island habitat and sandy island habitat behind chevron dikes. Numerous river conditions are considered before placement of dredged material occurs including river stage; hydrologic, geomorphologic, and geometric properties of a particular reach of the river; volume of material to be dredged; capability of the equipment used; river structures in a reach such as dikes, revetments, and locks and dams; the volume of river traffic; and recommendations received from federal and state conservation and fish and wildlife agencies. Approximately 150 sites in the St. Louis District have been dredged at one time or another. Between 30 to 50 of these locations are dredged regularly. Some of these have to be dredged very infrequently, others annually, and some more than once during the navigation season. All dredging activities comply with applicable Federal and state regulations. Approximately eighty million cubic yards of material are dredged annually within this district.
   2. Regulating Structures (Channel Maintenance)

      Three types of regulating structures are used in the District's waters: dikes, bendway weirs and chevron dikes. Dikes, some as old as 100 years, are located in the open river and pools. Total dikes in the river number around 800 and approximately 400 in the pools. Dikes in the pools are generally below ordinary High Water except for approximately 40 that have been restored. Bendway weirs, approximately 150, are located in the open river. Plans call for four weirs to be placed above L&D 24 to improve approach conditions. Relatively new structures, chevron dikes have been placed at six locations in the pools. The Illinois and Kaskaskia Rivers do not have any Corps maintained regulating structures.

      1. Navigation Pools

         During the latter part of the 19th century, the currently pooled portion of the Mississippi River above the confluence with the Missouri River was wide and generally shallow, with numerous islands and emerging sandbars during periods of low flow. Since 1824, the Federal Government has been involved in improving river conditions for navigation.

         Dikes made of wood and stone were used to confine the low flows to the main channel and temporarily increase stream velocities within the contracted reach, thereby increasing the stream's sediment transport capacity, thus deepening the navigation channel by scouring the riverbed. The sandbars between adjacent dikes soon became vegetated, with subsequent inundations depositing layers of finer-grained sediments such as silts and clays.

         To alleviate the increased scouring action on the opposite bank due to the confinement of low flows, the lower portion of the riverbank was first usually protected with woven wooden mats placed against the bank and sunk with stone before the upper portion of the bank was revetted. Current methods to revet banklines utilize stone riprap. Stabilization of the riverbanks reduced the amount of lateral channel migration, thus reducing the number of new side channels that were being formed.

         Prior to the establishment of Pool 24, 25 and 26, approximately 300 dikes and 65 miles of revetments were built. Due to their general deterioration and heavy ice-pack damage, a substantial portion of these structures was severely damaged or completely destroyed, thus significantly reducing their effectiveness. Until recently, only minor repairs were made to these regulating structures. Minor maintenance efforts are now used more extensively in repairing existing revetment works and dikes.

      2. The Open River

         The unimpounded or open reach of river from the mouth of the Missouri River to the mouth of the Ohio River is also known as the Middle Mississippi River. This reach has characteristics which are a composite of those of the Upper Mississippi and the Missouri. From St. Louis to Grays Point, a distance of 134 river miles, it flows between bluffs in an alluvial valley generally 4 to 5 miles wide. Its characteristics change in passing through the 7-mile long rock-bound gorge from Grays Point to Commerce, and again when it emerges into the wide delta-like valley of the lower Mississippi. [Historical accounts indicate that during the period between 1820-1880 the Middle Mississippi River passed from its natural state into a state where human activity had a significant effect on the morphological processes.]

      3. Environmentally Sound Navigation Structures

         The St. Louis District has been cooperating with concerned agencies since 1969, in an effort to make the Nine-Foot Navigation Channel Project more compatible with aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Since 1971, all contract work calling for the construction and maintenance of river regulating structures has been reviewed by concerned conservation agencies. This review process has resulted in the elimination of some proposed dikes, lowering the crown elevation on numerous other dikes, and construction of approximately 150 stone-fill dikes, which contain a notch. Model and prototype studies indicate that not constructing some stone-fill dikes may eventually have an adverse impact upon the authorized channel dimensions and may result in some increased dredging at some future date. A complete evaluation of notched dikes has been made as to their effectiveness for the enhancement of aquatic and terrestrial habitat. Other environmental enhancement features built into the project include stepped-up dikes, hard points and chevrons.

         In 1989, the District introduced another channel improvement structure known as the bendway weir. Over 150 of these structures have been built between St. Louis, Missouri, and Cairo, Illinois. Submerged year-round, these structures add channel width in bends while stabilizing banklines on the outside of the bends.

      4. Flood Control

         Flood control is accomplished by use of levees, floodwalls and reservoirs. Levees are built and maintained by the federal government, local governments or the private sector. In the St. Louis District, there are 42 federal levees, 47 non-federal levees and numerous private levees. Levees are categorized by their height and ability to resist flood conditions. Floodwalls are built in the urban areas where there is not room for levee structures. Floodwalls protect the City of St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. Five flood control reservoirs are located on tributaries to the Mississippi River. These reservoirs retain large amounts of water during flood conditions to prevent flooding on the Middle and Lower Mississippi River.

      5. Recreation

         The St. Louis District manages 11 developed recreation areas; 36 access sites and six commercial concession marina leases. Twenty-four recreational cabin subdivision lease acres (384 recreational cottage leases are still active) dot the riverbanks. The states of Illinois and
         Missouri operate 3 recreation areas and 12 access areas on Corps owned land. The USFWS operates six access sites. The Rivers Project Office operates a regional visitor center at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam area and class C visitor centers at Locks 27, Kaskaskia Lock and Dam and at the Rivers Project
         Headquarters facility.

         The rivers of the St. Louis District are a major recreational resource for the people who live in the bi-state area. Recreational points of interest include a portion of the Great River Road from the Melvin Price Locks and Dam Visitors Center to Eldred and the Village of Kampsville, Illinois. This stretch of road and river was recently designated a National Scenic Byway. Also included are the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge, the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, the Corps' Environmental Demonstration Area, the Multi-Agency Confluence Greenway (Mississippi and Missouri Rivers), and a regional bike trail system.

         According to a 1995 study by Waterway Experiment Station entitled "Economic Impact of Recreation on the Upper Mississippi River System," recreational use of the area in the St. Louis District is varied. Fishing from a boat is the most popular (23%), followed closely by sightseeing (20%), and recreational boating (18%). Other popular uses are shown in Figure 1-1 below.

1. Environmental
   1. Natural Resources

      The Mississippi is one of the world's great rivers and one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet. It is a critical migration corridor for millions of birds and is essential to the ecological health of the North American continent. The river environment is home to an incredible array of fish, wildlife and plants. In turn, millions of people use and enjoy these diverse resources. The river, its floodplain, and its adjacent upland corridor are essential to the survival and dispersal of a great portion of the vertebrate species (particularly birds, amphibians, and fish) and aquatic invertebrate species that inhabit this continent. The Mississippi more than any other natural feature, is an unmistakable symbol of this nation recognized globally.

      The Mississippi River is the largest and longest river in North America. Its tributaries spread throughout the central United States, comprising a drainage basin encompassing 41% of the continental United States--an area totaling 1.25 million square miles. The drainage basin, the fourth largest in the world, is defined on the east by the Appalachian Mountains and on the west by the Rocky Mountains.

      The bottomlands for the Mississippi make up the largest wetland area in the United States, and its bottomland hardwood forests are the most extensive in North America. More than 20% of the nation's duck population migrates along the river, and one-third of the freshwater fish species in North America live in the river. The river flows through 11 different eco-regions; this accounts for the great biological diversity of the river valley.

      Since many of the characteristic birds of the river valley are migratory, the study area is of national and international significance. In addition, the Mississippi River and its tributary valleys form a natural route over which the non-migratory or semi-migratory species may expand their ranges. The river valley forms a wildlife corridor between the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes Region. The mammalian species are generally representative of eastern (Alleghenian) types, with some influence of southern (Carolinian) and northern (Canadian) species.

      Plant species in the river valley also enjoy conditions that are not generally associated with the geographic location of the river. Overlapping of eastern and western species and subspecies of plants as well as animals occurs in the river valley. In the pioneer sites (disturbed sites without previous growth where species of plants are beginning to grow) along sandbars, mud flats, and other open places of recent soil disturbances, the usual forest is dominated by black willow and cottonwood. In forested areas on the floodplain, silver maple, cottonwood, elm, hackberry, green ash, oaks, willows and box elder are the usual dominants.

   2. Wildlife Habitat and Flyways

      The wildlife habitats along the Mississippi River are important to a large number of migratory birds. Mature forested floodplain habitats in the upper Mississippi, usually consisting of maples, cottonwoods and willows, are important to colonial-nesting birds such as herons, egrets and double-crested cormorants. Farther south in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley, bald cypress, gum, elm and various species of oaks provide important breeding, migration and winter habitat for numerous migratory birds. Neotropical migrant land birds depend on these forests and brushy habitats for migration and breeding; studies are in progress that will demonstrate the importance of this migration corridor to the species of migrants whose numbers are declining. The Mississippi River floodplain forest is also important to the bald eagle both for nesting and wintering habitat.

      Most of the area within the floodplain of the river is wetland; this type of habitat is vital to many species of dabbling ducks for both migration and breeding. Both blue-winged teal and mallards nest on islands or in grasslands adjacent to the river, while wood ducks use tree cavities in the forests. Most importantly, the large, deep open pools of the river created by dams are vital to diving ducks, chiefly canvasback, redhead, lesser scaup and ring-necked ducks. Upper river pools are used most heavily by diving ducks. Chief species using the Mississippi alluvial valley, which extends from southern Illinois to the coastal marshes of Louisiana, are the Mississippi valley and eastern prairie populations of Canada geese, snow geese, lesser white-fronted geese, and ducks such as gadwall, mallard, green-winged teal, American wigeon, American black duck, and northern pintail. Many other species of ducks use the river wetlands in lesser numbers.

2. Fisheries

   The Mississippi River supports one of the most diverse fisheries in the world. One-third of all freshwater fish species in North America (195 species) live in the Mississippi River (Fremling et al. 1989). The diversity of the species generally increases from north to south. This diverse abundance of fish depends on many different habitat types including tailwaters, main channel, main channel border, side channel and backwater habitat.

   In each of the five pools in the study area, three distinct zones occur. The upper end of each pool most closely mirrors the normal river condition, where impoundment did not raise the water levels to any extent. In this portion of the pools, marsh development is limited, and the pre-impoundment condition of deep sloughs and wooded islands is found. As flows increase, the upper end becomes deeper until open river conditions exist. In the middle of each pool, impoundment backed up water over islands and wetland prairies, spreading the river out over large areas of comparatively shallow water. Water level remains relatively stable until open river conditions exist. The best marsh development has occurred in the middle portion of the pools. Immediately above each dam, the water was impounded to a depth that precluded marsh development. At present, these areas are essentially deep, open water except when flows increase and water level decreases. As noted for each zone of the pool, water levels change when pool operation is manipulated by use of a hinge point.

   Upland erosion and the sedimentation in downstream areas are major causes of reduced water quality and habitat destruction in most mid-western rivers and streams. Sedimentation in the backwaters of the upper Mississippi River is the most significant environmental problem.

   Impounding the river has slowed the river current and increased silt deposition. This change to a "pooled" river has favored some species of fish like the largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie, but riverine and sediment tolerant species like the channel catfish, buffalo, drum and sturgeon still predominate. Impoundments have had a deleterious effect on sediment intolerant species like the smallmouth bass

3. Interpretive Services/Educational Outreach

   It is the intent of the rivers project office to establish and maintain an outreach and environmental interpretive effort consistent with the Corps of Engineers requirements. The Rivers Project Office will support environmental learning opportunities where feasible by collaborating closely with educational institutions and other partners.

   The new administration building located along Riverlands Way Road on the Mississippi shore at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam includes a type "C" Visitor Information Center. The type "C" Visitors Information Center is limited to the placement of exhibits in existing buildings, or in new or rehabilitated administration buildings for which construction had been budgeted.

   The 12,000 sq. Ft. Melvin Price Visitor Center, located on the Illinois Esplanade immediately adjacent to the new locks and dam, was authorized as a regional visitor center. Developed with comments, support and guidance through a citizen's advisory group and peer review group, this facility will be used to tell the Corps story, river story and the navigation story. The cultural, historical, ecological and biological responses will be interpreted at this major learning center. Visitors to the locks and dam will be able to view exhibits and tour the dam structure as well. Through partnering, a distance learning classroom will be placed in the multi-purpose room for educational programming.

   An access and tour control facility is located adjacent to the Rivers Project Administration building. It is a minimal facility that protects visitors from the inclement weather and serves as a meeting location for tours and interpretive programs.

4. Private Exclusive Use.

   Water and land areas at Corps projects are maintained for the benefit of the general public. After completion of the locks and dams in the late 30s, many cabin subdivisions were established on Corps lands along the rivers. Since the early 1960s, the permanent sitting of floating cabins, cottages and non-transient mobile homes and trailers for private exclusive use on project lands has been discouraged. However, Section 6 of Public Law 97-140 established a moratorium until December 31, 1989 on enforced removal of certain existing private exclusive use type structures. Section 1134 of the WRDA of 1986 (Public Law 99-662) extended the moratorium, indefinitely, for all such leased or permitted structures that existed on November 17, 1986 (date of the Act) if certain conditions (detailed in the Act) are met. Present policy stresses procedures for management of these private developments based on regional, project or site specific considerations. These established procedures are applicable to all new, expanded or existing developments. A Mississippi Valley Division regional plan pertaining to private exclusive use is in effect for public lands and waters in the St. Louis District.

5. Administration

   The main office for the Rivers Project is located at West Alton, Missouri. A sub-office is located in Clarksville, Missouri and project-specific administration and maintenance facilities are located at each locks and dam. The project manager and staff are responsible for all aspects of operations, maintenance and administration of all river navigation and water resource development projects and their natural, cultural, and recreational resources. The ranger staff is responsible for natural resource management, outdoor recreation, administering service contracts, health and safety of visitors, visitor assistance, boundary surveys and marking, working with other federal and state and local agencies and informing the public of Corps activities. Navigation personnel assist in locking through of river vessels and maintenance of locks and dams structures. Maintenance workers and contract personnel are responsible for maintaining and servicing the hydraulic structure, painting, repair of facilities, and maintenance of trails and recreation facilities.

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2.03 Natural Resource Management Programs

1. Public Law 86-717 (Forest Cover Act) and applicable implementing regulations declare the policy of the United States to provide that areas owned in fee and under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Engineers shall provide for the protection and development of forest and other vegetative cover and the establishment and maintenance of other conservation measures on areas under Corps jurisdiction. The basic Corps environmental stewardship mission is carried out by identifying and implementing management practices which insure the conservation, preservation and protection of resources for present and future generations. The Corps will continue to promote the establishment, maintenance, and protection of vegetative cover, to include forest cover, grasses and other herbaceous communities in order to sustain the potential for forest production to sustain wildlife populations, and provide for basic erosion control during the life of the project. Corps natural resource management strategies are called out in this Project Master Plan and further detailed and specifically explained and scheduled in the Project Operational Management Plan to be developed subsequent to the Master Plan. The development of plans or other vegetative management activities are fully coordinated with the USFWS for input and review of compatibility of proposed actions on the wildlife enhancement uses of the project. Under the terms of this agreement, the USFWS on Designated Refuge lands or the appropriate states on General Plan/Coordination lands, will manage resources for enhancement for fish and wildlife. Enhancement being defined as those activities and techniques, which result in an increase or concentration of animals for the purpose of augmentation

   The St. Louis District, Corps of Engineers is responsible for the environmental stewardship of all Mississippi River system recreation areas and other project lands within its district boundaries.

   Beyond stewardship, management of Corps lands includes attending functions such as fire protection, safety, security, public protection, shoreline management and real estate licensing. Eleven recreation areas on the Mississippi River or its backwaters are maintained and operated by the Corps (See 2.02e. above).

   In addition to the Corps stewardship mandate promulgated by the Forest Cover Act, the USFWS, the IDNR and the MDC are authorized to manage 35,132 acres made available for fish and wildlife enhancement by a "General Plan and Cooperative Agreements." These agreements, approved in the early 1960s, provided for state participation in managing Federal lands for wildlife resources and habitat. General Plans and Cooperative Agreements were authorized in the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958. 

   1. Recreation Programs.

      That programs and activities related to outdoor recreation will have as their design the following mission statement:

      1. Mission Statements
         1. The Army Corps of Engineers is the steward of the lands and water at Corps water resources projects. Its Natural Resources Management Mission is to manage and conserve those natural resources, consistent with ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations.
         2. In all aspects of natural and cultural resources management, the Corps promotes awareness of environmental values and adheres to sound environmental stewardship, protection, compliance and restoration practices.
         3. The Corps manages for long-term public access to, and use of, the natural resources in cooperation with other Federal, state and local agencies as well as the private sector.
         4. The Corps integrates the management of diverse natural resource components such as fish, wildlife, forests, wetlands, grasslands, soil, air and water with the provision of public recreation opportunities. The Corps conserves natural resources and provides public recreation opportunities that contribute to the quality of American life.
      2. Program Objectives
         1. To provide a quality outdoor recreation experience which includes an accessible, safe and healthy environment for a diverse population.
         2. To increase the level of self-sufficiency for the Corps recreation program.
         3. To provide outdoor recreation opportunities on Corps of Engineers administered land and water on a sustained basis.
         4. To optimize the use of leveraged resources to maintain and provide quality public experiences at Corps water resources projects.
         5. To accomplish the program objectives, the Corps manages land and water resources in cooperation with other Federal, state and local agencies, quasi-public organizations and the private sector supplemented by volunteers, contributions and challenge cost-sharing programs.
         6. Project master plan and operational management plans will be prepared in accordance with Chapter 3 of ER 1130-2-550.
         7. Outdoor Recreation - Public use of project lands and water shall be on a first-come-first-served basis.
   2. Environmental Stewardship

      The Corps of Engineers is the steward of Rivers Project federal lands and waters. Its natural resources management mission is to manage and conserve those natural resources, consistent with ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations, etc. (See as recreation)

      The environmental stewardship program objective is to manage the natural resources on Corps of Engineers administered land and water in accordance with ecosystem management principles, to ensure their continued viability and to provide a safe and healthful environment for project visitors.

      The Corps is chartered through laws and regulations to manage public lands under its jurisdiction in such a manner which "conserves fish and wildlife," "benefits wetlands", and "provides a safe and healthy environment for visitors." The stewardship authorities afforded the Corps through the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190), the Water Resource Development Acts, and numerous Engineering Regulations within the agency, offer the Natural Resource Managers several methods to accomplish their role.

      Acting within existing authorities and consistent with the current master plan, the Riverlands Area Office and later the Rivers Project Office have been successful in initiating and advancing an environmental strategy for the future (known as Riverlands 2000). To date, a major environmental demonstration area has been completed and former agricultural leaseholds have been successfully reclaimed to native prairie and wetland habitats. An effort to resurvey and visible mark the federal land boundaries is now underway. General operation and maintenance of Federal recreation and concessioned facilities have improved. Environmental Review Guide for Operations (ERGO) compliance is being achieved and phasing out of private exclusive use is being actively pursued and accomplished. Significant efforts have been made in raising public awareness of the Corps mission on the Mississippi River in a manner that is also improving math and science literacy of students and creating an interest in pursuing career in science, technology, and civil service.

   3. Interpretive Services and Educational Programs

      The interpretive services and outreach efforts have created outputs and linkages with basin communities that are relevant and have served the entire project.

      1. The Corps of Engineers revised ER 1130-2-428, Interpretive Services and Outreach Program Regulation (ISOP) in September 1993. The strengthened ISOP program focuses on two major subject areas: environmental education and outreach, which are important tools of the resource manager. There are two main objectives of Environmental Education and Outreach: To foster both a local and global understanding of the interdependence of life on our planet, and to dramatically reduce management problems on public lands.
      2. Other important attributes in the ISOP program include achieving management objectives using interpretive techniques, communicating the Corps Civil Works and Military missions and accomplishments to the public, improving visitor safety, and enhancing the experiences and enjoyment of visitors to Corps projects. Outreach is a means of accomplishing these goals beyond the boundaries of Corps projects.
      3. The Rivers Project Interpretive Service and Outreach Program strategy is to achieve the goals outlined in ER 1130-2-428 and to conduct these efforts in an efficient and effective manner at the field level so as to enhance understanding of both the Corps and the public’s role and responsibilities. The Corps' Interpretive Services and Outreach Program has six goals:
         1. To achieve management objectives using interpretive techniques.
         2. To provide environmental education to foster voluntary stewardship of natural, cultural, and created resources.
         3. To incorporate the Corps Civil Works and military missions and accomplishments into interpretive programming.
         4. To improve visitor and employee safety using interpretive techniques.
         5. To use Outreach to accomplish ISOP goals, including interpreting Corps missions, promoting stewardship, saving lives, and solving management problems. As part of the interpretive process, encourage interest in math and science, including career interest.
         6. To enhance the visitors' experience and enjoyment by anticipating their needs and providing interpretive resources to meet those needs.

         The objectives of the Rivers project Interpretive Services and Outreach Program to accomplish these goals are:

         1. To incorporate public land issues into formalized educational structures.
         2. To increase availability of public lands for use as outdoor classrooms. 
         3. To foster a sense of proprietorship towards public lands by the general public.
         4. To demonstrate the Corps' ability to improve math and science literacy.
         5. To provide public assistance through community outreach to raise awareness of public lands management.
         6. To gain insight on the communities needs and concerns regarding the Rivers Project Office management lands and waters.

         The Rivers Project Office Interpretive Services and Outreach Program meets these goals and objectives through several forms of unique programming. Through educational programs, the Rivers Project Office develops curriculum, including the St. Louis School Partnership Program, the Careers in Science Program, the Rivers Curriculum Project and the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Project. School programs offered at the Rivers project include "What is a Wetland", "Locks and Dams - Inland Waterway Navigation System", "Prairies of the Past", "Eagles along the Mississippi," and "Habitat Habits".

   4. Visitor Assistance

      Visitor Assistance is a management program designed to protect natural resources and Government property while assisting project visitors. Park rangers serve as a regulation enforcer with full citation authority of petty offenses contained in Title 36, Part 327. Available use-of-force options include visual presence, verbal persuasion and unarmed self-defense. States, counties and other political subdivisions retain the statutory authority and inherent responsibility to enforce appropriate state and local laws. The Rivers Project Office contracts with appropriate local (county-city) law enforcement agencies to provide these necessary services on public lands.

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2.04 Public Use

1. Major Activities

   Within the Mississippi River corridor are incredible and diverse recreational opportunities. The states manage 42 areas, including, boat access areas, waterfowl management areas and recreation areas. These state managed areas are visited annually by one-half million people. The National Park Service administers the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial that has 3.9 million annual visits. More than 50,000 visitors hunt, fish, bird watch, study nature or sightsee on the two national wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and on private lands along the Mississippi, Illinois and Kaskaskia Rivers. More than 15,509 recreational boats locked through navigation projects in 1996.

2. Visitation

   Total visits at Pool 24, 25 and 26, for all types of recreation activity on the project was reported as approximately 4,001,100 in 1998. Recreation day visitation is broken down by pool. Visits, the number of persons who enter the project for recreational purposes, were recorded, beginning in 1989 and are broken down into three categories: Riverlands Illinois, Riverlands Upper and Riverlands Lower. Riverlands Illinois reflects visitation along the Illinois River. Riverlands Upper is visitation above the Mississippi/Illinois River confluence and Riverlands Lower corresponds to visitation below the Missouri River.

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