The Shell Rock River Watershed District recently obtained final approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the completion of a feasibility report on the restoration of a significant portion of the watershed in Freeborn County. According to Brett Behnke, Shell Rock River Watershed sdministrator, “This is exciting news for Freeborn County and the entire river basin.”

The multi-year feasibility study is the first step in the restoration of up to 2,720 acres of Albert Lea Lake and related wetlands. Behnke added, “We have been pursuing this opportunity for a number of years and just recently finalized the paperwork to move forward with this federally funded planning process. This is a tremendous boost to our community-wide effort to clean up and restore our water resources.”

The project is officially called the “Freeborn County Section 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project” or the “206 Restoration Project” for short. The project management plan provides a roadmap for the SRRWD and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to complete the feasibility study in 2012. According to Andy Henschel, the local Watershed conservationist who is spearheading this project, “Utilizing this federal resource will accelerate our already successful efforts in restoring water and habitat quality in the watershed. This project will allow us to improve shore land erosion, flood control and overall habitat and water quality.”

The Corps has allocated $100,000 for this first phase and has appointed a 16-person project team consisting of engineers, analysts, a community planner and an archeologist. The feasibility study will address and identify the problems and the objectives of the project.

The project management plan can be obtained from the Shell Rock River Watershed District Office and will be posted on the District website at www.shellrock.org.

A summary of the project’s goals are as follows:

Topsoil conservation and erosion and sedimentation control

Shore land conservation and restoration

Development and implementation of lake management plans

Partnerships to identify and reduce pollution entering Albert Lea Lake

Maintaining and enhancing fisheries and aquatic habitat

Maintaining efficient storm water systems

Implementation of storm water best management practices (BMPs)

Flood control and floodplain preservation

Wetland protection, enhancement, and restoration

Groundwater protection

Partnerships and data sharing

Education and public involvement

The overall restoration plan, if implemented, is budgeted at $7.48 million, with $4.8 million from the Army Corps of Engineers and $2.68 million from local funding and/or in-kind services.

For more information, call Brett Behnke at 507-377-5785 or Andy Henschel at 507-391-2795