Note: This news story was updated on May 6, 2024 with an update to UMRBA's request for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program. The funding request was initial $50 million, and was updated to $187 million in light of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' expressed capability estimates submitted to Congress.
Building upon the Upper Mississippi River’s deeply rooted partnership and successes in effective multi-purpose management, UMRBA’s FY 2025 funding priorities include:
- $187 million for the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP)
In FY 2025, the Corps is estimating the NESP FY 2025 navigation capability at $65 million and the NESP FY 2025 ecosystem capability at $125 million. The navigation-related investments involve systemic mitigation, switchboats, planning at L&D 24, and other programmatic activities.
- $55 million for the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program
In FY 2025, UMRR will implement 27 habitat projects across five states and three Corps Districts. Of these 27 projects, UMRR will be actively constructing 10 projects and advance planning and design on 16 habitat projects. These projects integrate a broad range of restoration techniques that strive to use or mimic the river’s natural processes to enhance and protect important fish and wildlife habitat, restore the river’s floodplain structure and function, and counteract the factors degrading the river’s ecological health. UMRR will continue its long term resource monitoring and research, providing a much clearer understanding of the complex, dynamic relationships among various ecosystem components and watershed drivers.
- $1.835 million for renewed flow frequency probabilities and water surface profiles for the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
In FY 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will compete the hydraulic routing model and associated flow and climate assessments, employ the analyses, and develop a report of the findings. Flood risk assessments and forecasting capabilities are necessary to reduce damages and loss of life associated with increasingly frequent and major flood events in the Upper Mississippi River. Accurate and accessible information will improve our ability to develop a systemic flood plan and improve management capabilities.
- Full utilization of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to support inland navigation new construction and major rehabilitation projects
- Full capability for operations and maintenance of the Upper Mississippi River System 9-foot navigation channel
UMRBA's funding requests letters submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are found on UMRBA's website by clicking here.
Upriver (north) of L&D 25 on the Mississippi River
