Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
- Purpose of Habitat Needs Assessment (HNA): Noted in the Report
to Congress, An Evaluation of the Upper Mississippi River System, Environmental
Management Program, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District,
December 1997. The following quote establishes the baseline for the
assessment:
"A habitat needs assessment should be completed to establish a technically sound, consensus-based management framework or "blue print' for the restoration, protection, and enhancement of the UMR ecosystem. This assessment would begin to identify, at system, pool, and reach levels, long term habitat requirements. It would also serve to refine the focus of future monitoring and research activities".
The HNA consists of an evaluation of existing habitat conditions throughout the UMRS, a forecast of future habitat conditions, and quantification of ecologically sustaining and a desired future habitat conditions. The HNA will address habitat needs at the system-wide, river reach, and pool levels of spatial scale. The primary purpose of a HNA will be to guide planning, design, and evaluation of future EMP habitat protection and restoration efforts. The HNA will be periodically updated, with refinements based on new information, changing condition of UMRS habitats, and new understanding of river ecology.
- Authorization: As the HNA is directly related to the execution
of the HREPs EMP habitat protection and restoration and the & LTRM components
of the EMP, it is being performed in accordance with the current authorization
(Section 1103 of WRDA 1986) for the UMRS-EMP.
- Schedule: The current schedule for the HNA is a completion
date of September 2000. Major Milestones are forthcoming upon completion
of the Project Management Plan (PMP).
- Complete draft report by HNA team - July 2000
- Final draft report of St. Louis District Commander - 30 August 2000
- Approval of report by Commander, Mississippi Valley Division - 30 September 2000
- Funding: Current budget for the completion of the HNA is $1,000,000.
This funding has been implemented in fiscal years 1999 and 2000. Distribution
of funds has been made to various Corps Districts (MVP & MVR), USGS
and FWS.
- Products: Products will be identified and updated through the
current approved PMP.
- Geographic Scope: Current scope identifies all navigable waters
of the UMRS-EMP as managed under the program and floodplain adjacent
to its waters (bluff to bluff). Reference: SOW & PMP
- General Method of Assessment:
- Existing data will be reviewed, synthesized and analyzed. New data will not be collected/generated.
- Areas of examinations will focus on ecological, institutional, geologic and public.
- Assessment will utilize the following process: (1) identify existing habitat types, quantities and quality, (2) develop a forecast condition, (3) develop a desired condition, and (4) identify habitat needs.
- Participants & Roles: MVS will serve as the PM for the HNA
in collaborations with Technical Co-Chairs located in MVS and FWS. The
HNA committees will include representatives from the Mississippi Valley
Division, three Upper MS River Corps Districts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Maritime Administration, Upper
Mississippi River Basin Association, states of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa,
Minnesota, Wisconsin.
- Accomplishments since last status:
- Technical Committee Meeting - February 00.
- Technical Tasks 1 & 2 are complete. Formal document under review by technical team.
- Query tool distributed April 00.
- Resource manager meetings (final) scheduled for 9 May - 16 May 00.
- Technical Task 3.1 (revised) scheduled for completion mid June 00.
- Scope of Work for Public Involvement distributed and negotiation for contractor underway.
- Update of Web Site for electronic coordination.
- Next Steps:
- Hold Tech Team meeting for final assignments of Desired Future Conditions
- Hold Public Involvement focus groups in June-July 00.
- Complete Technical Team HNA Desired Future Condition recommendations by end of June 00.
- Identify technical team members for support of the Public Involvement focus group meeting.
- Complete Public Involvement Tasks by end of July 00.
- Review of HNA document Aug 00.
- Brief Upper Mississippi River Task Force, 22 May 00.
- Continued update of Web Page on HNA coordination.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://umesc.usgs.gov/habitat_needs_assessment/status_sheet.html
Page Contact Information: Contacting the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Page Last Modified:
November 3, 2015