WSP02798

• File Number: 8407.500
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications - Missouri River
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: MBIAC
• Title: A Framework Plan for the Missouri River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Tht, :\Iissouri Basin mUst haw its (lWn plan.
fr-om ...;('ratch. It ('annol \Hoar hand-Ole-do.....ns
from other n'giolls. for tht. :\lissouri Basin is
lik,. 110 otht:'r. The fUlun- of its moi."ture_dt~_
fidt'nl fal'ming is dirr,'n'1I1 from tht:' rUlur", of
farming elst'when', Tht' prlllt:'Ctioll and
managl:'mt'nt of its s:enl'f)' and wildlife must
Lt- ba."t'fl Oil the c!"manding .\Iissouri lund-
S('1tf*', not clipped (",m a handbook. Thl:' clNl.r
f.() muddy irn'gu]<tr flows of .\lissouri lla.;.;in
strt:':l.ms mUst tit' managt'll by nll'thll(ls and
polit'il':; fiUt'(l to these stn-ams and no oiht-rs
anywht'n' on earth.

Tht' .\lissouri Ha"ill - biggt'st of tht. :\atiofl's
18 major n.gLolJ.... .. I'mhra('(.s :)];~.OOO ."quart'
mill,.... within tht, L'llitl-'(! Staks. a28 million
aCI"t'... within all or part of 10 Statt..... It ha...;
nearly -I million acre... of water art'a int'ludin~
thoUAAlld...; of mil",... of .stn'.am...;. But the rivers
an' likl:' tho..... of 1\0 ntht.!" region. lIundn'lls III'
milt.s lOll,!!. ('ach drain... t>rlormou... arHas; but
l)t:'t'au...;p littlt. rain fall... Oil tho..." an'a...;. tht'
gn'at rin'rs are sh.allow. and t10w in ...;hed,.;
over thl'ir milt',.;-broatl flood plains. Oftell cJ(j~-
~t'(l with sl'l:limt'nt or br.tC:ki...h with l{'al'ht~1
...;alt....

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This is th(, Jand of the \\'ild \\'elit, of gold
rushes and caull:' drive.s. of CIJw!Joys :md In-
dians, Buffalo Hill and Custer, and \\'ild Bill
IIickock and Calamity .Jane. Its colorful his-
tory derives from its vari~ll:uulscapc. At iL'l
we...tt.'rn ,'(lge stand th,. Ruckies, Pih"s and
Frl:'mom'... country, with their fore.sL'! and
gamt. and s('elH:'ry. On the eastlo'rIl side are the
lu...h fnrmlands IJf the ~-fiss(Juri-.\lis...issippi
draina~". ,JesSi' .Jaml's' l'ountry. Ht't\n.'t'n art'
the plain". I{ising hl'rt. and then' from the
plain.'i an' uniqut' art:'a...; like thl' Badland.s,
the Rlack II ills, tht' ()zarkl' Oil tht' south. or the
rolling hills of XI'bra...ka. lien' arid th{'n', too,
a,'" induslrial-(:lJlllmen-ial metnJpnlise.s likt'
Dt'n\"i"r. Um"h:l, and I-\all.sas City. But 1;0 per-
c('nl (,f tht' ba...in consists offormt-r prniril', i'l-
dudillK somp of th,. va...ti"...t. flath'st, I:'rnptil'st
SWi"t.p... of land ouL"idt' tht- Hussian Slt'PI~s.

\\'ith flt'arly Ii) Ih'/T{'nt of tht' ~atil)n's land.
tht. hasin support... onlyll;'l pt'l'l'f'nt of its
l'I:'oph'. and yi,'lds but.j lH;'rct~nt ofiL.. earnings
and per,..;onal inl'umt:'. Ih'gional aVt'r:lgt' earn.
ings alld inl'ome... an' wdl bt'low national
a\"t'rages. In ...;orne rt""'P+.-'Ctl', it is un inhospit.
ablt' J't'gillll.

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