Replacing Culverts for Fish Passage and Climate Resiliency

From drought to flooding, and everything in between, the lowly culverts under our roadways may not be top of mind - until they fail.
All across Minnesota, DNR and a whole host of local, state and federal partners are working to replace undersized culverts that are unable to manage increasing rainfalls and perched culverts that create fish passage barriers. New designs that better consider the changing hydrology, variable water levels, and mimic natural stream habitat that better supports fish and wildlife needs, while also protecting important transportation infrastructure for people and emergency responders.
The need for this work is vast. Lake County alone, has more than 300 undersized culverts, of which 150 are currently fish barriers in a region prized by stream trout anglers. A recent project highlights the need for continued investment and some of the technical considerations of the design.