Missouri River Planning Recommendations

Home Browse Search

coordiiiated approach to land- ■ The Corps should lower or- acquire And develop more" off- ` owner payments _for floodplain notch bank - stabilization struc- channel`fish and wildlife habitat. t _ ' lands acquired for habitat tares, increase in- channel sand restoration. Lands must be - bars,. and restore water to ■ Congress should appropri- - acquired from willing sellers.-. chutes• and backwaters. It ate funds to establish an envi- . only, and the new, owners - should 'also enhance main ronxnental trust fund for the shoidd have a policy of protect = channel border habitat (the area Missouri River, -_ ing for a period of time affected between the navigation channel - levee districts and local govern- and the high bank):by provid- ■ Congress should authorize ments from revenue losses mg slow moving-shallow water, and appropriate funds for'the associated with conversion tro where possible, and increasing . Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wild -. public ownership. To accom- shallow water habitat behind life Service and - other_ federal phsh this recommendation, -point bars and in dike fields in - and state agencies to study MRBA needs to collect inforina- selected areas below Ponca, whether it is possible to. use _lion on how each state ad -'- Nebraska. The Corps and other river flows to initiate spawning f dresses payments, and how _ federal and state agencies of native river fish species federal funds for land'acquisi- should determine the most without harming other uses of 'lion are allocated to the states. flood -prone and otherwise the river system. suitable areas within-the Mis- - 0 The Corps and other agen -- souri River. floodplain to ac- , ■ The Corps should work cies should share inforination _ quire and the best engineering with the states and the U.& Fish regarding successful habitat practices to' achieve specific fish and Wildlife. Service to irivesti- improvement strategies be- and wildlife habitat objectives. gate ways to address the water tween its division and district for each designated location. _ temperature issue for native offices. These agencies should Congress should,direct and` river fish through such things . put together a summary -of fund the Corps and others to do. as multi-level releases from the - successful habitat improvement what is needed to implement dams. t projects in the Missouri and the study's recommendations. other river" basins. The same committee used to ' ■ `The Corpsshould work advise the Corps on the avoid with the U.S. -Fish and-Wildlife K The Corps and .other agen- , and'minimize program could Service and state fish arid-game Gies should explore alternatives advise tlje Corps on structural . _ agencies to study.the feasibility- -to the previously proposed _ changes. - of constructing fish passages spring rise to improve fish and = around- some of the Missouri " - wildlife habitat, > The Corps and other federal River darns. Where appropriate; and state agencies should the Corps should construct and operate such passages. r "