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<br /> <br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />This environmental impact statement was prepared under <br />direction of the Missouri River Basin Commission's Planning <br />Committee to analyze the environmental effects of the Missouri <br />River Bssin Water Resources Management Plan. It is intended to. <br />meet the procedural requirements of the National Environmental <br />Policy Act of 1969, and subsequent implementing regulations of <br />the Council on Environmental Quality and the Water.Resources <br />COuncil. <br /> <br />Historically agriculture has been most important in the <br />economy and to the people of the Missouri River Basin, with <br />energy development also becoming very important in recent years. <br />This has led to expression of concern over the adequacy of <br />surface and ground water resources to meet the water demands for <br />all, often conflicting, uses. Additional concern over the <br />environmental impacts of increased intensity of water and related <br />land resources use has also grown. The water resources plan was <br />developed to respond to these concerns and to provide a guide for <br />the development, conservation, preservation, and management of <br />the water and related land resources in the Missouri River Basin. <br />The plan identifies some 550 programs to address and meet future <br />water resource management needs and opportunities. <br /> <br />The environmental impact statement focuses on the <br />qualitative effects of implementation programs in the plan and <br />reflects an analysis that matches the detail addressed in <br />planning. Actions, identified according to functional areas, <br />were grouped and analyzed for broad types of impacts expected or <br />likely to occur. In the past this analysis relied upon detailed <br />impact information developed by the implementation agency during <br />prior feasibility studies, impact information developed by the <br />COmmission in recent level B studies, or other resource studies <br />at the regional or national level. The general impacts of each <br />functionally-related group of actions were then determined from a <br />basinwide perspective. <br /> <br />The net overall effect of the regional water and related <br />land resources plan on the human environment will be beneficial. <br />Long term agricultural productivity will be maintained and <br />improved; in addition, improved water resources management will <br />encompass a wider range of beneficial uses and stimulate an <br />improvement in the efficiency of its use. Future development of <br />the Basin's energy resources is not precluded and water quality <br /> <br />-248- <br />