North Fork of the Zumbro River Channel Restoration Project

The Zumbro River Restoration project is 3,500 linear feet stream bank and instream habitat restoration of the Zumbro River located within the City of Mazeppa Minnesota. Previous flood events within the project area have resulted in loss of native habitat, disconnected flood plains, overly wide channel, and unstable erosional stream banks. The Zumbro River is impaired water. Restoration of the erosional stream banks, installation of habitat structures and riffles, and reconnection of floodplains have stabilized stream banks reducing instream sedimentation and provide native habitat improvements to enhance aquatic species habitat including brown trout, Muskie, small mouth bass, northern pike and sensitive species such as the Redside Dace and Suckermouth Minnow. The riparian areas of the river have been restored with native riparian and upland buffer planting using both live plantings and native seeding that help filter sediments and nutrients from surface water runoff.