River dredging near Kellogg will be discussed at public meeting

(KWNO)-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a hosting a public meeting Tuesday in Kellogg to provide an update on its plan to manage river sand near the Rolling Prairie Beneficial Use Site on the Mississippi River. According to the Corps’ draft plan, “the continuous removal of dredged material (river sand) from the bed of the main navigation channel” is necessary “to ensure sufficient depth for navigation of barges and other large commercial watercraft.”

One question is where to store the excavated sand. The Corps sometimes uses temporary sites until it can find a permanent location but that’s becoming more problematic. “Identifying and developing new permanent placement sites has become more and more difficult in recent years because suitable sites are either not for sale or are otherwise not feasible options due to cost, logistics, environmental impact concerns, or other reasons,” the draft plan stated.

The meeting will be held at St. Agnes Church in Kellogg at 6 p.m. A formal presentation will be followed by an open house where the public can ask questions and discuss the plan.