The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will extend the public comment period to July 6 for the draft environmental assessment of the proposed Missouri River Emergent Sandbar Habitat project near Washburn, North Dakota.
According to the Corps, the proposed project includes mechanical construction of sandbar habitat, up to approximately 24 acres in size, at river mile 1348 (near Washburn).
“ Material would be borrowed from the river bed and placed on top of the existing shallow submerged sandbar. This minimizes the amount of material that needs to be moved and increases longevity of the constructed sandbar ,” reported USACE.
The purpose of the ESH Program is to maintain suitable habitat for the federally endangered interior least tern and threatened piping plover.
The ESH Program integrates actions in accordance with the sub-objectives established in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2018 Biological Opinion on the Operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System and Operation and Maintenance of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project.