Mississippi River Pool 8 Update Complete - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

BROWNSVILLE, Minnesota (WXOW)-- The US Fish and Wildlife Service says Phase III of their Pool 8 update is now complete.

The project is part of the Corps of Engineers' Environmental Management Program and the site is on the Mississippi River near Stoddard, Wisconsin, and Brownsville, Minnesota.

US Fish and Wildlife Service officials said many of the islands in Pool 8 have eroded or disappeared, which has reduced valuable aquatic plant beds that migrating birds use for shelter and food.

The project created 22 new islands.

The islands are constructed with dredged material and protected with rock structures and vegetation to prevent erosion.

Construction of the islands will protect existing habitat and will help reestablish aquatic plant beds and deepwater habitat, benefiting a wide spectrum of fish and wildlife in the 3,000-acre area.

This five mile stretch also has great wild rice production and fishing has improved near the inlands.

Construction of the islands started in 2006 and cost is $18 million dollars.

The funding has come from the Environmental Management Program that was approved by Congress.

A project dedication was held on August 30, 2012, at Wildcat Park, Brownsville, Minnesota.