In 2022, contractors began using 400,000 cubic yards of Mississippi River sand to build six islands at Minnesota’s Pigs Eye Lake; the project covers more than 40 acres and aims to protect surrounding wetlands

Contractors began constructing new islands in Pigs Eye Lake in June 2022 using sand from the Mississippi River. This project aims to restore habitat within the local ecosystem over more than 40 acres. The islands will serve as breakwaters to limit erosion caused by wind and waves. A citizens' group expressed concerns regarding investment disparities in nearby neighborhoods.