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l' J' ^, '-' , 0 1"_ ~ it 'J The majority of this expansion will be in the form of steam-electric plants using coal extracted from within the Basin. However, this fossil fuel utilization represents but a small portion of all coal from this Basin needed to meet national energy requirements, either in raw form or as syn-gas or electricity. Certain legal and socia-economic considerations will have to be resolved concerning the use of water in the extraction and development of the extensive coal resources of the Basin. Directions Planning for water to be used in coal development must be continued to help assure maximum efficiency" of water use and minimum interference with other water uses. Additional use and development of conventional hydro-power and pumped-storage sites should be made to meet future energy needs wherever practicable. There is also a need to continue evaluation of the thermal capability of the Missouri River to support once-through cooling systems of power plants. Effective State, Federal, and regional coordination for energy development must be established. Major planning efforts should be directed at providing energy development alternatives to solve Basin and national requirements. Water-Associated Outdoor Recreation Situation Statement The Missouri River Basin is endowed with abundant water-associated outdoor recreation opportunities in most areas. In general, both stream and lake recreation opportunities are available, although not all parts of the Basin have equal or adequate local opportunities. Many recreational facilities exist naturally or have been developed on public lands around Federal, State, and private reservoirs and along streams on public lands. However, access to available streams and lakes, both public and private, presents a significant problem for both landowners and'recreationists. The demand for water-associated outdoor recreation has grown tremendously in the last 30 years. Although the rate of growth appears to have stabilized recently, there is stili a continu- ing need for additional water-associated recreational develop- ment, especially near large urban centers. In addition, many segments of rfvers and streams throughout the Basin have attri- butes that would permit either Federal or State designation as wild, scenic, or recreation rivers. Recently the Missourf River main stem has assumed a greater role as a source of water-orfented recreation. Unfortu- nately the main stem also possesses a number of characteristics detrimental to recreation pursuits, including continued degrada- tion, low water or siltation of oxbow lakes, and hazards due to high channel velocities. Directions Planning and development efforts directed toward provid- ing additional water -associated outdoor recreation opportunities should focus on two prfncipal objectives: 1. Development, operation, and maintenance of suitable recreation sites near urban areas in order to shorten travel distances in view of mounting needs and energy shor- tages. The outdoor recreation programs of the varfous States in the Missourf Basin are concentrated on meeting this objective. 2. Provision of access to existing streams and lakes that provide potential recreation opportunity-.particularly those at federally built reservoirs where improved access is required and additional recreational areas could be de- veloped and improved. Accomplishment of these objectives will require develop- ment of uniform data bases and close cooperation between re- creation planners and public and private landowners. Water- Related Transportation Situation Statement A navigation channel authorized by Congress has been developed and is maintained by the Corps of Engineers on the Missouri River from its mouth to Sioux City, Iowa. Studies are presently being conducted on the authorfzed Kansas River navi- gation project covering the lower nine river miles at Kansas City. Extending navigation from Sioux City to Yankton, South Dakota, has been investigated and determined not to be feasible. Loc- . kage and slack water navigation between and above the Missourf main stem reservoirs was similarly found infeasible. Several important agricultural commodities produced and grown in the Basin States are shipped out of the Basin by barge on the Missouri River. Many products are shipped into the Basin by the same route, including important materials such as fertilizer for agrfcultural production. By 1975, total commercial shipping volume on the Missourf River was approaching 3 million tons. Lack of adequate port facilities, including storage, is among the limiting factors on expanded use of the existing waterway. Directions Near-tenn efforts to expand waterway utilization should concentrate on adding to and improving port facilities and safety features to minimize catastrophic spills of hazardous materfals. Longer tenn planning efforts should focus on providing improved connections with other transportation modes, and where economically feasible and practical, supplementing other modes by waterborne means. There is also need to predict the effects of continued upstream flow depletion on the long-term utilization of navigation in the developed reaches of the lower Missourf River. 41