Dredging of the Missouri River southeast of Springfield is scheduled to begin this week according to the foreman of the contracting company.
Last week the crew continued to connect 3,600 feet of pipe which will take sand from the river and relocate it to form three sandbars. The pipeline is being connected at Navratils.
The 105-acre project will set at a sea level of 1,214 which will allow the islands to stand about eight feet about the water where they will be located. The dredging will also help the sedimentation issues on a small scale and will give a boater better access to the river. This will supply more habitat for two species of birds, the piping plover and the interior least tern.