A long-planned island restoration project in Lee County, Iowa is gaining momentum with new support from a regional port authority.
The Corn Belt Port Authority has stepped in to help secure $2.2 million in non-federal funding for the estimated $8 million project, which aims to restore 41 acres of island habitat in Pool 19 of the Mississippi River. Project leaders tell the Pen City Current the area has been deteriorating since the construction of the lock-and-dam system near Keokuk in 1913.
Efforts to restore the islands have been underway for about a decade, with support from groups like the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Ducks Unlimited. The plan involves using dredged material to rebuild island structures and add rock formations to improve river flow, creating habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife while also boosting recreation and tourism in the area.
