U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build six islands in Pig's Eye Lake near downtown St. Paul

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to build six new islands in Pig's Eye Lake.

The lake is a backwater of the Mississippi River just east of downtown St. Paul.

The project is part of an effort to reduce shoreline erosion and create new habitat for birds.

"That's going to improve upon migratory bird habitat and other aquatic organisms like turtles, otters, there's all sorts of things that utilize this area this is just going to provide more habitat for them," U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Nate Campbell said.

The $15 million project is scheduled to start next year and take four years to complete.