Little Sister Seaplane Base

The closure was the direct result of a fundamental change in land use. The area, including Little Sister Lake, was acquired by The Wetlands Initiative in 2000 for a major environmental project. The land was converted from agricultural and private use into a dedicated nature preserve, making previous activities like seaplane operations incompatible with the new conservation mission.

The site is now a core part of the Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin & Hopper Lakes. It is a highly successful and renowned ecological restoration site managed by The Wetlands Initiative. The area has been transformed back into a vibrant complex of lakes, marshes, and prairies, serving as a critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The site is used for birdwatching, scientific research, and limited public recreation like hiking. All motorized boat and aircraft activity is prohibited to protect the sensitive ecosystem.

Little Sister Seaplane Base was a small, informal, and likely privately-owned seaplane landing area. It was not a publicly charted airport with significant commercial or military traffic. Its operations would have been limited to private, recreational flights by local pilots using Little Sister Lake, a backwater lake of the Illinois River. The identifier 'US-10875' is not an official ICAO code but rather an internal catalog number from an independent airport database, highlighting its unofficial status.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the seaplane base. The site's current and permanent designation as a protected nature refuge makes any future aviation use virtually impossible. Its value as a conservation area far outweighs any potential for it to return to its former use as a private landing strip.