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LJI.rl7 essentially being controlled by the large upstream reservoirs and the levee system located in the downstream reaches. Flooding on tributaries and in small watershed areas is more common. While the Milk, Big Horn, Kansas, Platte, and Osage rivers do have major storage structures providing flood protection, many lesser tributaries, such as the Elkhorn River in Nebraska, Sun River in Montana, and Grand River in Iowa and Missouri, have little or no protection and consequently experience costly flood damages. Only in recent years have flood plain management and river and flood forecasting been recognized as important and effective nonstructural approachs in dealing with f1ood.prone areas. This is in addition to the advantage of providing warnin9s to reduce the loss of life. The main reasons that major floodcontrol structures are not being implemented in lesser tributary areas are: (1) no economic justification to protect essentially agricultural or rural lands, and (2) lack of adequate local support. Smaller structures, along with land conservation measures, are effective in small watersheds, can be justified in many cases, and levels of protec- tion are normally adequate for local agricultural land uses. How- ever, they generally do not provide adequate protection for urban development on the lower portions 01 large tributary systems. Significant flood protection has been provided to many developed areas through individual systems of levees and other local flood protection works. Many additional areas have had no protection, but through the use of f10dd plain regulations and management, they have managed to reduce the effects of flood- ing. Flood damages continue to increase in spite of control structures that are in place. This is caused by continuing de- velopments in the flood plain and the increasing value of agricul- tural and other products being produced and stored there. Until recent years, little flood plain control has been implemented, although currently efforts are underway to develop such controis. Directions Further abatement of flood damages requires duai action--continued development of flood control structures coupled with flood plain management that involves land use regulations. The Federal flood insurance program has provided impetus to adopting flood plain regulations and should be con- tinued as a basinwide goal of complete local direction of flood piain management. Also, it is recognized that flood threats to existing developments and residents within a flood plain often justify control structures, but that the flood threat can rarely be completely eliminated. A blend of adequately funded and coordi- nated struqtural and nonstructural programs that include a good river forecasting system is still required to reduce flood damages to existing and growing urbanized areas. in rural areas, im- plementation of improved management practices, which include wetlands and flood water storage areas and land conservation measures, should be continued. Fish and Wildlife Management Situation Statement The Missouri River Basin's natural heritage, rich in wild animals and plants, open space. and scenic wonders, constitutes one of its most valued resources; but it is one which is fragile and particularly vulnerable to the impacts of man's activities. Because it is now more broadly recognized that man's impact is felt throughout the environment, higher priorities should be given to all game and nongame fish and wildlite and to their terrestrial and aquatic habitats. It is evident that the location and availability of a fish or wildlife resource, the distribution of people, each individual's de- sire to observe, hunt, fish, or photograph, as well as individual attitudes toward such avocations, playa part in the overall de- mand or need for that particular resource. Many organisms serve as biological indicators of environmental conditions that can af. fect humans and are, therefore, potentially of considerable vaiue. The continued consumptive use and quality degradation of the Basin's surface waters and resulting declining streamflows pose a serious threat to the riverine habitat. In some areas. ground water use for irrigation and other purposes is lowering surface water levels and threatening the continued existence of wetlands. Continued loss of habitat will significantly reduce the Basin's capacity to support fish and wildlife resources. Directions Current techniques tor evaluating benefits of fish and wildlife are varied. Research to develop acceptable measures of benefits is underway, but more is needed. Concurrently, while disagreement prevails in benefit assessments, the demands for 37