ST. PAUL, Minn. Feb. 11, 2016 Ducks Unlimited applauds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for providing $7.6 million to complete the Marsh Lake Ecosystem Project in western Minnesota.

Marsh Lake is on the Minnesota River between Swift and Lac Qui Parle counties near Ortonville. It's a 5,100-acre shallow lake waterfowl habitat open to public hunting.

The Marsh Lake project will improve habitat for waterfowl and aquatic species in the area. The restoration plan includes modifying Marsh Lake Dam to allow for natural seasonal water level fluctuations, which will promote native vegetation and reduce impacts from common carp. The project will also reroute the Pomme de Terre River to its historic channel and breach the abandoned fish pond at the dam.

Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall thanked Army Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy for helping finalize the funding.

"On behalf of the 46,000 DU members and supporters in Minnesota, I'm excited that this project will improve water quality for outdoors enthusiasts as well as habitat for waterfowl and wildlife," said Hall.

The $7.6 million in Army Corps funding will be combined with state sources, including the Outdoor Heritage Fund and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Final engineering will occur in 2016 and project construction will occur between 2017 and 2019. DU has advocated for a restored Marsh Lake for more than 10 years and the restoration will provide a healthier lake for waterfowl and recreational use.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org. Connect with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/DucksUnlimited, follow our tweets at twitter.com/DucksUnlimited and watch DU videos at youtube.com/DucksUnlimitedInc.

Media contact:
Chris Sebastian
(734) 623-2017