Historic Partnership in Motion: Wabasha Port Authority Begins Moving Dredged Mississippi River Sand Under Landmark USACE Agreement
WABASHA, Minn. — In a milestone for river navigation and local resource management, the Wabasha Port Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, have started full-scale operations under a historic Section 217 agreement, actively transferring thousands of cubic yards of dredged Mississippi River sand to long-term beneficial reuse sites.
The initiative represents the nation’s first Section 217 inland water partnership under the Water Resources Development Act. Under the agreement, rather than the federal government executing costly, conventional long-distance transport contracts, USACE pays the city a negotiated “tipping fee” to take charge of the sand removed during channel maintenance operations. This novel approach transforms a perennial dredging challenge into an economic and community development asset.
Every year, the St. Paul District dredges approximately 250,000 cubic yards of sand from the Mississippi River Lower Pool 4 and the surrounding Wabasha reaches—accounting for roughly a quarter of the entire district’s annual navigation dredging requirements. Maintaining the congressionally authorized 9-foot channel is vital for commercial barge traffic carrying Upper Midwest agricultural exports such as soybeans and corn, as well as critical bulk commodities like fertilizer and road salt.
A Groundbreaking Local-Federal Model For years, finding sustainable, cost-effective placement sites for dredged sand tested relationships between river communities and federal planners. The Section 217 model fundamentally shifts that dynamic by empowering local stakeholders to decide how and where the sand is repurposed.
“This milestone reflects what happens when local communities and federal agencies step outside business-as-usual approaches,” said Wabasha Mayor Emily Durand. “We all have to be aware of our authorities and be creative while understanding that sometimes we have to look for more nuanced solutions and not expect that the regular way of operating is going to get us there. By taking active ownership of how this sand is placed, Wabasha is protecting our community’s environment, enhancing public safety, and turning what was once a contentious issue into a shared opportunity.”
Through the Wabasha Port Authority, the operation functions as an enterprise initiative. Clean river sand staged at temporary placement sites—such as the Wabasha Gravel Pit—is transported using local contractors to permanent upland sites. The relocated sand will serve high-value community needs, including reclaiming depleted gravel pits, providing general construction fill, and elevating local parcels out of the regulatory floodplain for future economic development. To date, nearly 500,000 cubic yards of sand have been removed from the gravel pit this year and repurposed for future mining pit reclamations in Wabasha west of U.S. Highway 61.
Ensuring Safe Navigation While Maximizing Taxpayer Value For the Corps of Engineers, freeing up space at temporary river placement sites is indispensable to maintaining an open commercial waterway, said Bob Edstrom, St. Paul District project manager in charge of the planning efforts.
Chris Atkins, St. Paul District operations chief, echoed the importance of the navigation mission to the region and the nation. “Channel maintenance along the Upper Mississippi River is a non-stop mission that directly underpins the economic security of our nation’s heartland,” said Atkins. “The milestone we are seeing today in Wabasha proves that federal navigation mandates and local community priorities do not have to be at odds. This agreement delivers a triple win: it secures dependable channel depths for commercial shipping, saves taxpayer dollars on logistics, and puts valuable material into the hands of the community that knows best how to use it.”
On the Ground: Operations and Long-Term Outlook Local hauling operations demonstrate the agreement in action. Contracted haulers have transported approximately 2,000 cubic yards of dredged material daily during scheduled daylight hours, moving material across designated transit routes like U.S. Highway 61 to ensure minimal disruption to residential neighborhoods and downtown traffic.
The city’s efforts to beneficially reuse the sand directly contribute to the Corps of Engineers’ navigation mission by creating storage capacity for future dredging requirements.
Port Authority officials note that revenue generated through the Corps' tipping fees will remain within the community to support port infrastructure and economic development initiatives. As other river towns along the Mississippi River corridor evaluate their own long-term dredged material management plans, Wabasha’s pioneering Section 217 program is quickly becoming a blueprint for modern waterway stewardship.
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