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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />II <br /> <br />e. Resource Problems and Opportunities: The Hamburg Bend point bar (herein <br />referred to as the "project site" or "site") is comprised of approximately 1,250 acres of land <br />located 8 miles southeast of Nebraska City in Otoe County, Nebraska along the right bank of <br />the Missouri River. The main channel of the Missouri River, Miles 551.7 to 555.8, borders the <br />project site on the east. Exhibit 1 illustrates the location of the project site, The site consists <br />of agricultural land which until recently was privately-owned. The lands required for this <br />project have been purchased by the Corps. <br /> <br />Historically, the Missouri River at Hamburg Bend was much wider and significantly <br />more diverse than the present day morphology. The pre-channelization and pre-dam river was <br />characterized by multiple channels which were separated by sand bars, mud flats, willow bars, <br />and timbered islands. A diverse morphology was maintained by annual periods of high <br />discharge. The cross-section of the Missouri River at Hamburg Bend was over 8,000 feet wide <br />in 1923. This pre-control cross-section provided a diverse and rich environment which was <br />important to adjacent terrestrial habitats and to the spawning, feeding, and rearing of native <br />riverine fish, Subsequent to construction of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and <br />Navigation Project, the overbank and secondary channels were hydraulically cut off from the <br />main channel by the construction of closure dikes, spur dikes, and revetments. Channelization <br />of the river narrowed the width of the active channel to approximately 600 feet. The point bar <br />area east of the Federal Levee is now hydraulically disconnected from the main channel except <br />during periods of very high stage. The project site is dry most of the time and most of it has <br />been farmed. This situation is a direct result of the construction, operation, maintenance, and <br />management of the channel stabilization project. <br /> <br />Observation of the historical river shows that its course and morphology naturally change <br />over time, Present day evidence of the historical flow paths is seen in the form of <br />predominantly dry chute channel beds which weave through the right overbank area, The <br />Hamburg Bend point bar currently holds water during and after high stage events on the <br />Missouri River. The chute channels do not currently provide for spawning/fisheries habitat and <br />the value of the site as a wetland area is limited. The potential is great to provide a hydraulic <br />reconnection to the Missouri River and ensure a more permanent and consistent water supply <br />to the project site, <br /> <br />f. Project Goals and Objectives: This component of the Missouri River Fish and <br />Wildlife Mitigation Project is intended to restore large-river habitat and associated chutes and <br />backwaters in the floodplain adjacent to the main channel at Hamburg Bend. Historically, <br />chutes, wetlands, backwater areas, sandbars, and other features contributed greatly to the entire <br />river ecosystem. The project objective is to determine a mitigation procedure that most closely <br />resembles or maximizes preconstruction habitat values. This would be accomplished by <br />establishing a hydraulic connection between the Missouri River and the Hamburg Bend <br />floodplain area, thereby providing for fish spawning, wetlands, and terrestrial habitat <br />enhancement. The selected alternative should also optimize cost and minimize adverse social, <br />economic, and environmental impacts, <br /> <br />3 <br />