# Missouri River Water



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Corps officials say resignation setting in along Missouri River 
By STEVE BRISENDINE Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Thursday, April 14, 2005
KANSAS CITY, Mo.

One by one, representatives of water utilities and barge companies asked the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday night to send plenty of water down the Missouri River.

And one by one, they thanked the corps for doing all it could in a difficult situation - a drought that began seven years ago in Montana, where the nation's longest river originates.

The tenor of discussions has changed all along the river in the past six months, corps officials said - from fighting over the competing interests of downstream transportation, upstream recreation and systemwide conservation to the resigned realization that nothing will get much better for anyone until the rains return.

"Drought causes everyone to tighten their belts," Col. Michael A. Rossi, commander of the corps' Kansas City District, told about 40 people at Wednesday night's public meeting. "There's only so much water for so much need - both down here and up the river.

"Compared to six months ago, people are understanding that it's time to figure out that this isn't a big north-south fight," Rossi said. "Everyone has to endure until the water comes back."

The meeting was one of six that corps officials plan this week on the agency's operating plan for regulating dams and reservoirs on the river.

For shipping companies downriver, that means contending with a transportation season that's sure to be cut by a record number of days this year - anywhere between 53 days to the maximum of 61. There's also the possibility that if upstream reserves continue to drop, there won't be a transportation season next year.

"We're concerned about water levels," said Bob Cox, of Midwest Cement Co., which relies on barges for transportation between Kansas City and Jefferson City. "We want to keep the navigation as long as we can."

Larry Cieslik, chief of the corps' water management office in Omaha, said there are now 35 million acre-feet of water in six upstream reservoirs along the river. The barge season would be canceled if that figure is less than 31 million acre-feet on March 15, 2006.

"There's never been a non-navigation season since the system was first filled in 1967," Cieslik said. "And even if we don't have navigation, we're still going to work to supply the water quantity and quality needs downstream."

Still, utilities in the area are concerned.

"We can pump water out of the river even if it drops slightly below what the corps is projecting," said Paul Corkill, manager with Water District No. 1 of Johnson County, Kan. "I just hope their calculations aren't off."



> There's never been a non-navigation season since the system was first filled in 1967," Cieslik said. "And even if we don't have navigation, we're still going to work to supply the water quantity and quality needs downstream."


How about working to supply water quantity and quality needs upstream as well!!!!!!!

Bob


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Bismarck is already talking about limiting water usage, lawns, car washing etc. There will be a shortage of water along the Mo. Riv. in ND this summer.

Mismanagement coupled with a drought=the shaft for many ND residents who depend on that water for more than recreation.


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

The head of Forward Devils Lake 
Development Corporation has resigned. 
Jim Dahlen has accepted the position as vice president of 
the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association. 
He is slated to start his new job on May 2nd. 
Dahlen has been with the Devils Lake economic development 
group since 1993.

Maybe he'll bring you some water, he should have some experience in fighting water wars. An old saying used to be "whiskey is for drinkin and water is for fightin over"


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

I was at this meeting and it was just more bull **** from the corps. They also said that the navigation season would be cancelled next year if the system falls below 31,000,000 acre feet of water ( If I remeber right that was the number) by March 1. We almost hit that mark this year so unless some thing drastic changes that will happen next year. They should have cancelled the navigation seasons 3 years ago. This is piss poor managment by the corps for a dead industry. The corp. plans on having 15 ramps open on Lake Sakakawea by memorial weekend (there are 2 right now). The corp. are just doing what they have always done, telling us to bend over and take it.


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## Straycat (Mar 21, 2005)

We cannot send them what we don't have....

If you haven't seen the river system here you cannot understand how desperate the water situation is.

The Corps has mismanaged the flow for years. They never anticipted a drought like this and are at a loss as to what to do.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Unfortunatly this situation with the Missouri river system is a product of the poltical process gone wild. Senator bond from Missouri is a powerful force with connections in high places. I wish i could say this is a simple product of mismanagement. it is far from it. this is pure and simple political pressure by the "connected few" and their ability to force their view all the way to the top.

the drought has had a massive negative effect. the water should have been managed in times of high water in anticipation of the periodic drought cycles of the upper basin, instead of bowing to the wishes of politics. 50 million dollar tourism industry up here 5 million dollars worth of barge traffic down there. the affected upper basin states should just buy out the lower river barge industry!?

My .02

Bob


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

*Tourism officials worried about low Lake Sakakawea perceptions*By the Associated Press 
9:53 a.m. - DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) -- The state Game and Fish Department is anticipating a drop in sales of fishing licenses, and resort owners expect fewer boats and dollars because of Lake Sakakawea's lower level caused by years of drought in the Missouri River basin.

Wildlife officials say Lake Sakakawea will still offer good fishing despite its record-low level, but tourism officials worry that some anglers might stay away because of false perceptions.

"The perception is out there that the lake has changed, that there isn't much water and ... that things are pretty dried up, which obviously isn't the case," said Dick Messerly, manager of Fort Stevenson State Park south of Garrison. "Lake Sakakawea is a huge reservoir with still lots of water in it."

"We've got our fingers crossed," said Terry Steinwand, chief of the state Game and Fish Department's fisheries division. "If the water keeps going down, we're going to have no bays to work with."

But Steinwand said walleye, hungry from a low smelt spawn, should be biting.

"I think it's going to be a really good year for anglers," he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects 19 of 36 Sakakawea boat ramps to be accessible by Memorial Day. Of those 19, the ramp at Lake Sakakawea State Park is the only one that should require an extension, the corps said.

The corps, Game and Fish, Three Affiliated Tribes and federal government are covering the $1.6 million cost of making the ramps usable, said corps planner Linda Phelps.

Kelvin Heinsen, owner of a Beulah-area resort, said he expects day traffic and revenue at his resort to be down this year. But he remains hopeful the season won't be as bad as some fear.

"What typically happens is they hear (the lake) is low, so that kind of changes their attitude, and they become a little negative towards it," he said. "And more people stay home, and it's kind of a snowball effect.

"But then I've got to remain positive, and hopefully others will become positive also," he said.

State tourism officials say they're attending sports shows and spending thousands of dollars to allay angler concerns.

Tourism Director Sara Otte-Coleman said her department is "educating them that the resorts are still open and there still is access, and trying to convince people that even though there's been some publicity out there that there's not any water, there is water."

Past drought conditions have led to poor returns at the region's cash registers. During the six low-water years from 1988-1993, the Garrison Chamber of Commerce recorded a yearly average of $2 million less in taxable sales than during normal or high-water years from 1994-1999, Messerly said.

He said visitation at the state park is down this year, but he expects it to be much higher than during previous drought years such as in 1991, when the number of visitors dropped to as few as 59,000. His optimism is due to the park's efforts to offer more activities, such as a bicycle tour and a Memorial Day kite-flying event that do not depend on fickle water levels.

"Even though we're in the sixth year of our drought, we're still maintaining visitation here at about the 100,000 level, which is very good considering the level of the lake and the fact that our marina is totally dry," Messerly said.

------

Information from: The Dickinson Press, http://www.thedickinsonpress.com


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Corps presents release plan
By TOM RAFFERTY 
Bismarck Tribune 
The Army Corps of Engineers expects a minimal impact on Lake Sakakawea from a plan to release two "pulses" of water next year to benefit endangered pallid sturgeon downstream.

The corps provided details of the plan Thursday in Bismarck to about 80 people, who seemed to take the news well despite the fact that Lake Sakakawea has experienced low lake levels caused by a six-year drought.

The releases, termed "pulses"by the corps, would occur in March and May only if reservoirs in the Missouri River Basin north of Gavins Point Dam contain at least 36.5 million acre feet of water. At the end of October, the reservoirs contained 36.3 million acre feet.

The corps estimates the pulses could drop the lake level about 1 to 4 inches and would only last a few days.

"It's probably not going to be very perceptible in the Garrison reach,"said Larry Cieslik, chief of the Corps' Missouri River Basin water management.

The corps has planned the "pulses" as a way to satisfy requirements of the Endangered Species Act, according to Paul Johnston, a spokesman for the corps.

Johnston said the goal is help the pallid sturgeon spawn downstream, while minimizing the impact on all of the river basin.

"We realize that is a line that is paper thin, but that is what we are trying to walk along,"Johnston said.

Rose Hargrave, team leader of Missouri River Programs for the corps, said scientists don't know if the plan will work, but they will be monitored closely. Hargrave added that it could take several years of "pulses"to determine their effectiveness.

Paul Danks, natural resource administrator for the Three Affiliated Tribes, said he is pleased to hear the corps will keep a close eye on the releases.

"It is an experiment, basically, this spring rise, because there isn't really any hard science about what's going to happen and if it is going to work,"Danks said.

Jill Denning Gackle, secretary of Friends of Sakakawea, said people are still very worried about the drought, but they are glad the corps has required the reservoirs to hold a certain amount of water before the pulses are approved.

"It shows that the corps is serious about water conservation during the drought,"she said.

The corps released a draft of its annual operating plan on Oct. 20 for public review. The plan also anticipates that the navigation season downstream could be shortened 15 to 58 days, depending on runoff this winter and spring.

Gov. John Hoeven said the right way to manage the river is to slowly refill the reservoirs before increasing the navigation season in Missouri.

"That's the right way to do it, the common sense way to do it, and the way to do it that works for the entire Missouri River Basin,"Hoeven said.

Hoeven was pleased that the lake level remained steady this year even though runoff was only 80 percent of normal.

Lake Sakakawea remained relatively level at the end of October, ending the month at 1814 feet. The corps estimates the lake will remain steady in November, ending 24 feet below average, and plans to maintain or increase levels next year, depending on runoff.

Lake Oahe rose a foot in October and is estimated to rise two feet in November to end 24 feet below average and slightly more than a foot below the same time last year.

The last of the public meetings will be held today in Glasgow, Mont.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Just wait until a dry cyle comes to eastern North Dakota! The Red almost had zero flow in 1988 and the demand for water has changed considerably since then. North Dakota needs to stand firm on water resoure management because when the times get really tough it ain't going to be pretty. We are in about a 15 year wet cycle so when this cycle oscillates the other way we will be begging for Missouri River water in eastern North Dakota.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Tribal chairman wants water plan input
Associated Press, The Forum
Published Sunday, December 04, 2005

NEW TOWN, N.D. -Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Tex Hall says the tribes and western North Dakota generally are being overlooked in plans to pipe Missouri River water to the Red River Valley in times of drought.

"Nobody's talked to us (about the Red River plan) so we don't know how much water would be diverted," Hall said.

"I'm not saying we're against it, I'm just saying we haven't been adequately consulted here," he said. "I'm alarmed that we're not getting consulted on this huge initiative."

The plan, endorsed by the State Water Commission, would build a pipeline to connect with the McClusky Canal near McClusky and move Missouri River water east to Lake Ashtabula, near Valley City, for storage after treating it. Water would be released as needed into the Sheyenne River, which flows into the Red River north of Fargo. The project, which still must go through federal review, could cost up to $660 million to build.

Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness compared it to taking a thimble full of water out of a five-gallon pail during drought times, with the pail representing the Missouri River.

"We understand the river is down, but it's minuscule," Furness said of the diversion plan. "We don't think this will have an impact downstream or have an impact on western North Dakota."

Furness said the diversion would be used in times of severe drought.

"If we had a drought like in the 1930s, or in 1988, we'd use the water at that time," Furness said. "So we're not taking water out at all times."

Hall said no meetings have been held west of Bismarck about the plan.

"Clearly, I think there needs to be more information sharing and there needs to be more involvement of the public and the communities. That's very, very important and there's not enough being done," he said.

Patience Hurley, who works on the project for the federal Bureau of Reclamation at its Bismarck office, said a meeting has been scheduled in Bismarck on Feb. 2, to discuss a draft environmental impact statement, and other meetings on that document will be scheduled around the state.

Hall worries about the low levels of the Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea, and the impact of diversion on the Fort Berthold Reservation.

"In this drought area that we're in, 3 feet of water is huge," Hall said. Six water intakes are in danger at six communities on reservation, he said.

"We want to have adequate water before anything is talked about diverting it to anybody else," he said.

Hall said he believes the tribe, as a property owner, could stop a plan to send Missouri River water to the Red River Valley if it wanted to, but said he is not calling for that.

"I just want to make sure our rights are protected and our voices are heard," he said.

Williston Mayor Ward Koeser, a member of the Garrison Conservancy District board of directors, said he has tried to look at such issues in the "big picture."

"As I listened to the facts being developed about the project - it's such a small portion," Koeser said. "They're looking to take water in a pipeline actually, so it's basically for municipal and industrial uses.

"Initially I had some concerns because we're trying to develop irrigation, but I have a pretty good comfort level with it at this point," Koeser said.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

I saw some remarks about the east not paying for Missouri River water.
Here in Grand Forks County when we get our property tax bill there is (always has) a line item for Garrison. I believe all the Red River Valley County all have been paying for a long time.
Bob what's your take on dumping it into the Sheyenne? Too much will be wasted????? Evaporation??????? Would it be better to pipe it all the way to Hillsburo. Dump some in the Red for GF and pipe some south to Fargo.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Zoggy

I guess I feel if it is ever done it should be the most cost effective and efficient system available. if it is pumped into the Sheyenne and from there follows the natural ebb and flow of natural water logic says it will be the most efficient. There is only one continental divide to cross from McClusky to the Valley City area from the CD it will flow according to the natural watershed.

Many people and the media are making this out to be a Fargo problem it is not. it is a Red River Valley problem. The valley communities including Fargo have done away with many of the dams along the Red. Fargo replaced the Dike east dam with boulders that slow the flow but do not technically dam the river. It was done for safety reasons and I feel a little paranoia because of spring and summer flooding. Seems to me we could store a lot of water in the Red with todays technology and dam building techniques, but rather than doing that we have to spend all of these millions on a pipeline?

The bottom line is we have a problem in the valley, Agriculture is big, big business and the natural flow of the water is nonexistent, it is all artificial because it increases the flow and drains the fields faster which in turn increases the flow rate of the Red dramatically with every rain event. Afterwards the river returns to lower flow rates. Without having any wetland storage to speak of in the valley we have created an all or nothing scenario.

Would we be wise to develop a series of reservoirs along the river corridor? Seems to me we could buy a bunch of land develop reservoirs for storage and still not spend half a billion dollars doing it as that is what the projected cost for the pipeline would be.

I am not an hydrology expert so there must be a reason this is not being considered.

Water is one of the staples necessary to maintain life. There will be a lot of wringing of hands and sleepless nights before this issue is put to rest.

Bob


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## fishless (Aug 2, 2005)

Bob I might have missed something in the other posts but other then a pipeline this sounds similar to the garrison diversion project. Where can I read more about this.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

fishless

Unfortunately there isn't much to read other than media articles until the environmental reports are released. The Corp of Engineers does not have it on their radar screen that I can find. Let me do a little digging and I will post up info if I can find any.

It is Garrison Diversion except without open canals that make the water available for irrigation.

Bob


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

fishless

Here are a couple of links.

http://www.garrisondiv.org/media/prefer ... native.pdf

http://www.swc.state.nd.us/index.html

Just scanned the quickly noticed some reference to the project.

Bob


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Mo. governor asks corps to forego spring rise on Missouri River 
By SAM HANANEL Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Monday, December 19, 2005

WASHINGTON

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said Monday the Army Corps of Engineers should abandon plans for a spring rise on the Missouri River next year or face legal action from the state.

"This plan could devastate farm families' crops and would further undermine environmentally friendly navigation," Blunt said in a letter to the corps.

After more than a decade of legal disputes, the corps in October announced plans for two "spring pulses," or releases of water from upstream reservoirs to encourage spawning by an endangered fish, the pallid sturgeon.

Environmental groups seeking to protect river wildlife support the move. Blunt and other Missouri officials have long opposed the idea, fearing it could flood thousands of acres of farmland in that state.

In his Dec. 16 letter, Blunt argued there is not enough scientific evidence to show a spring pulse will even help the pallid sturgeon. He said the plan is contrary to the corps' primary mission of flood control and navigation.

Since the corps made its proposal, it has received hundreds of comments at public meetings and in writing, said Paul Johnston, a spokesman for the corps' northwestern division office in Omaha, Neb.

"The courts are always an option, but we think we're on pretty firm legal ground here," Johnston said.

A final operating plan is expected sometime in early January, but Johnston said the agency remains committed to the spring pulses as long as there is at least 36.5 million acre-feet of water in upstream reservoirs.

"Our goal is to give people as much notice as we can so they can make their business decisions," Johnston said.

Blunt's letter also complains that the spring rise would limit upstream water available later in the fall, in the event of a drought. Low river levels have made shipping more unpredictable for barge companies, and this year the corps cut the navigation season to 48 days - the shortest season on record.

That is not likely to change much next year. Johnston said the corps is looking at another shortened navigation season of about 50 to 58 days.

"Folks already know that we are anticipating minimum navigation flows all year," Johnston said.

The corps developed its spring rise plan in response to a 2003 opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which had long pushed for changes to help the pallid sturgeon. Since then, the corps has spent months meeting with farmers, navigation interests, environmental groups and state representatives to balance competing interests along the nation's longest river.

A federal appeals court ruling earlier this year largely upheld the right of the corps to manage the river.

A total of about 430 people came to a series of eight meetings held in November in Kansas City, Mo.; St. Louis; Jefferson City, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Nebraska City, Neb.; Pierre, S.D.; Bismarck, N.D.; and Glasgow, Mont. The corps has received about 870 written comments, which are under review, Johnston said.


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## fishless (Aug 2, 2005)

They want water and then they dont cant seem to make up there mind downstream. As far as shipping water over to red river valley I think this is a good thing that in the long run will benefit all of ND thanks for keeping us updated Bob.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

BISMARCK ­ The draft environmental impact statement for a plan that includes sending Missouri River water to the Red River Valley has been released.

The draft EIS for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project is available for a 60-day review and comment period. Written comments must be postmarked by Feb. 28. Several public meetings will also be held in the state.
The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation and the state of North Dakota represented by the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District released the draft EIS last week.

Delivering Missouri River water to the Red River Valley is among the potential alternatives being considered in the draft EIS.

According to a news release, the draft EIS is to evaluate alternatives to meet the long-term water needs of the Red River Valley in North Dakota and three cities in Minnesota: Breckenridge, Moorhead and East Grand Forks.

Of the eight evaluated alternatives, three would use surface water and groundwater sources in North Dakota and Minnesota, four would import treated water from the Missouri River, and one alternative evaluates the future of the Red River Valley if no project is built, the news release says. Preliminary cost estimates range from $500 million to $2.52 billion.

According to the draft EIS executive summary, the proposed action would include construction of features and facilities needed to develop and deliver sufficient water to existing infrastructure for distribution to MR&I (municipal, rural and industrial) water users in the service area.

The water needs in the draft EIS are defined as "MR&I, water quality, aquatic environment, recreation and water conservation measurers."

The draft EIS was prepared in accordance with the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, according to the news release.

The draft EIS states: "the main difficulty during times of drought is the lack of flow in the upper Red River near Fargo. The most vulnerable cities would be in the Fargo-Moorhead greater metropolitan areas (Fargo, West Fargo, Horace and Harwood, and Moorhead and Dilworth, both in Minnesota). Other systems along the Red River would also experience shortages. As population centers, such as Fargo, Moorhead and Grand Forks grow, their dependence on the valley's water resources make them increasingly vulnerable to water shortages."

Missouri River depletion

The draft EIS addresses Missouri River depletion. It says:

"Future depletions of water from the Missouri River including a proposed project withdrawal, would affect the amount of water flowing through the Missouri River mainstream system. Depletions could also reduce reservoir elevations in Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe."

To address this issue, the draft EIS reports a study was initiated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Northwest Division to analyze the impacts of a proposed transfer of water from the Missouri River to the Red River Valley. The study examined the effects of a cumulative depletion on the uses and resources of the Missouri River. The analysis took into account two different points of withdrawal for the project: Snake Creek Pumping Plant on Lake Sakakawea and a site south of Bismarck underneath the Oahe Reservoir.

According to the draft EIS, additional analysis examined the impacts of withdrawals on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe reservoir elevations. The analysis also related project depletions to annual inflow to the reservoir and reservoir storage.

The draft EIS reports that the results of the Corps' modeling "predicted very small impacts to economic and environmental resources of the Missouri River.

"Cumulatively, the percent change for average yearly inflow and average reservoir storage for all import alternatives with 2050 depletions did not exceed 1 percent. The proposed maximum annual project depletion from Lake Sakakawea could decrease the level of the reservoir from 2 to 8 inches below the June 2005 elevation of the reservoir, depending on the alternative. The proposed maximum annual project depletion from Lake Oahe could decrease the level of the reservoir by 2.5 inches below the June 2005 elevation. These estimated changes in reservoir elevations did not include inflows, outflows, precipitation and evaporation," the draft EIS says.

The alternatives

Following is a brief synopsis from the draft EIS of the eight alternatives analyzed, including one listed as "no action." The estimated cost of each alternative is included.

1.N.D. In-Basin Alternative: This alternative would supplement existing water supplies and uses the Red River and other North Dakota in-basin water sources. A buried pipeline would capture Red River flows downstream of Grand Forks and convey the water to Lake Ashtabula for storage to meet municipal, rural and industrial (MR&I) water demands.

Estimated construction cost: $560 million to $640 million.

2. Red River Basin Alternative: This alternative would supplement existing water supplies and draw on a combination of the Red River, other North Dakota in-basin water sources and Minnesota groundwater sources. A series of well fields would be developed in Minnesota with interconnecting conveyance pipeline serving the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area.

Estimated construction cost: between $550 million and $750 million.

3. Lake of the Woods Alternative: This alternative would supplement existing water supplies and use a combination of North Dakota and Minnesota in-basin water sources. The primary feature would be a buried pipeline from Lake of the Woods to the major population centers of the Red River Valley.

Estimated construction cost: $940 million to $1.11 billion.

4. Garrison Diversion Unit (GDU) Import to Sheyenne River: This alternative would supplement existing water supplies with a combination of Red River, other North Dakota in-basin sources and water imported from the Missouri River. It would include a biota treatment plant at the McClusky Canal. The principal feature would be a buried pipeline from the McClusky Canal that would release treated Missouri River water into the Sheyenne River just above Lake Ashtabula.

Estimated construction cost: between $500 million and $660 million.

5. GDU Import Pipeline Alternative: This alternative would supplement existing water supplies by conveying water from the Missouri River via the McClusky Canal and a buried pipeline to the Red River Valley. The principal feature would be a buried pipeline from the McClusky Canal to the Fargo and Grand Forks metropolitan areas sized to meet peak-day shortages.

Estimated construction cost: between $1.20 billion and $1.41 billion.

6. Missouri River Import to Red River Valley Alternative: This alternative would convey treated water in a buried pipeline from the Missouri River south of Bismarck, directly to Fargo and Grand Forks. The pipeline would be the principal feature of this alternative.

Estimated construction cost: $880 million to $1.01 billion.

7. GDU Water Supply Replacement Pipeline Alternative: Unlike the previous water supply alternatives that propose to supplement existing water supplies, this alternative would use water imported from the Missouri River to replace all MR&I water supplies in the service area to meet future water demands. The principal feature of this alternative would be a buried pipeline from the McClusky Canal to the Red River Valley interconnecting most of the cities, rural water systems and industries. This alternative would include a water treatment plant at McClusky Canal.

Estimated construction cost: $2.23 billion to $2.52 billion.

8. No Action Alternative: This action is the future without the Red River Water Supply Project.

State preferred

The state of North Dakota preferred alternative is the GDU Import to the Sheyenne River, according to the draft EIS. "The state identified this alternative because 'it provides the water needed to sustain the region, as well as benefits to the natural environment without any significant negative impacts,'" stated in a letter from Gov. John Hoeven to Secretary of Interior Gale Norton Nov. 1, 2005.

The Bureau of Reclamation (federal) has not identified a preferred alternative in the draft EIS but a federal preferred alternative will be identified in the final EIS.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Mont. AG urges Supreme Court to hear Missouri River appeal
By SARAH COOKE 
Associated Press Writer 
HELENA, Mont. - Attorney General Mike McGrath on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether maintaining the Missouri River's shipping channel is more important than upstream agricultural and recreational uses.

McGrath made the request in a brief supporting the original Supreme Court appeal filed by North Dakota and South Dakota last November.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem wants justices to reverse a federal appeals court ruling that concluded barge traffic along the river's navigation channel is a higher priority than other interests, including swimming, boating and wildlife management. The channel runs from Sioux City, Iowa, to St. Louis.

The conclusion was part of an August ruling that said North Dakota could not use federal and state anti-pollution laws to force the Army Corps of Engineers to keep more water in Lake Sakakawea.

The corps manages the Missouri River system. The state of Missouri, barge companies and other downstream interests have supported releasing more water from the river's reservoirs to help the shipping industry.

"This is the latest in a long history of disputes about the handling of water resources along the Missouri," McGrath said. "We believe review by the Supreme Court is necessary so the concerns of smaller, upstream states like Montana and the Dakotas are given the same significance as those of as larger, downstream states."

In his brief, McGrath said the Flood Control Act of 1944 requires that all river uses be treated equally, something he said the corps also acknowledges. The act is the federal law that authorizes the management of the river.

"This is particularly important in drought years," McGrath said. "The corps has been playing favorites for too long."

Stenehjem has said the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which issued the August ruling, has no legislative history or authority to support its conclusion that navigation was a paramount interest of the river system.

The Supreme Court will decide later whether to hear the case. Stenehjem's office had not heard anything as of Tuesday, spokeswoman Liz Brocker said.

"We are waiting," she said.


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## rowdie (Jan 19, 2005)

I've been reading articles on this issue since the last time the water levels were low in the late 80's and early 90's. I doubt the Supreme court will rule in our favor based on all the decisions in the past.

I'm to the poin I hope for even lower levels and continued drought, this could shut the bardge season down for a season, and I hope put them out of business.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Corps' final plan for river released
By SAM HANANEL 
Associated Press Writer 
WASHINGTON - The Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday it won't change plans to release extra water into the Missouri River this year, despite concerns the spring rise will put Missouri farms and the barge industry at risk.

The agency's final operating plan for the river calls for release of two "spring pulses" of water from upstream reservoirs in March, and again in May, to help revive an endangered fish, the pallid sturgeon.

But the releases will happen only if a lingering drought leaves enough water in the reservoir system. Current forecasts show enough storage capacity for the releases to occur, said Paul Johnston, a spokesman for the corps' northwestern division office in Omaha, Neb.

The two-day pulses are supposed to mimic the historic rise of the river with the melting of mountain snow before dams were built. The increased water is intended to encourage the pallid sturgeon to spawn.

Environmental groups generally support the plan as the best way to protect river wildlife, but Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has threatened legal action. He calls the science sketchy and says the pulses could flood thousands of acres of farmland along the river.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., also challenged the practical effects of the plan.

"Not one official has suggested that this will lead to recovery of the species," Bond said.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he thinks the corps decision favors downstream states at the expense of upstream states.

"I believe the corps ought to recognize the seriousness of the drought in the upstream states and take steps to retain water in our upstream reservoirs," he said.

The final plan announced Tuesday is almost identical to a proposed plan announced Oct. 24. Since then, corps officials considered hundreds of written comments and heard debate at eight meetings in cities along the nation's longest river, which runs 2,714 miles from Montana to Missouri.

The corps developed the plan under orders from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the pallid sturgeon as required under the Endangered Species Act.

Corps officials have spent more than a decade meeting with farmers, navigation interests, environmental groups and state representatives to balance competing interests along the Missouri River.

Upstream states are concerned the release of water will lower already drought-plagued lakes and damage the valuable fishing industry in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"Although they are clearly trying, this plan still gives upstream states like Montana the short end of the stick," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. "We need to share the pain more during drought years. This plan doesn't go far enough. It still gives preference to the barge industry."

Barge companies complain that the spring rise limits upstream water available later in the fall, when drought conditions can make the river unnavigable. Last year, the corps cut the navigation season on the river to 48 days - the shortest season on record.

Missouri officials grew concerned in December, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency said farmers who experience crop damage as a result of intentional flooding by the federal government would not be eligible to make federal crop insurance claims.

Reps. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., and Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., said they are working to find a legislative solution that would help farmers keep insurance coverage in the event of flooding.

A release won't occur unless the water level in the reservoir system is at least 36.5 million acre feet. If that threshold is not met, the corps will postpone the release until 2007.

Johnston said runoff forecasts predict 36.6 million acre feet of water by March 1.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Water levels appear too low for March rise on Missouri River 
By SAM HANANEL Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Tuesday, February 28, 2006
WASHINGTON

The Army Corps of Engineers probably will scrap plans for the first of two spring pulses on the Missouri River this year because water levels in reservoirs that feed the river are too low.

While the final decision will not be made until Wednesday morning, officials said that as of Monday, the six upper reservoirs feeding the main stem of the river have only 36.3 million acre feet of water. That is 200,000 acre feet shy of the minimum set by the corps last month, when officials announced final plans for the controversial spring rise.

"We're a little under, so right now it doesn't look like we're going to get there," said Larry Cieslik, a spokesman for the corps in Omaha, Neb. "There's still two more days to go, but it's looking unlikely at the moment."

The agency's plan calls for two pulses of water to be released from upstream reservoirs - one in March and one in May - to encourage spawning by an endangered fish, the pallid sturgeon.

The May release still could happen if there is enough rainfall and snow melt during the next two months to increase water levels above the threshold. Otherwise, no water would be released until next year.

The plan for the spring rise is the result of more than a decade of legal wrangling among diverse interests along the river, including environmental groups, farmers, recreational groups and the barge industry.

Cancellation of the March release would likely please Missouri officials, who have opposed plans for a man-made spring rise on the river. They worry it could flood Missouri farmers and jeopardize the barge industry. Lawmakers in Montana and the Dakotas, meanwhile, worry the releases may not leave enough water for boating and fishing interests.

Environmental groups generally support the plan as the best way to protect river wildlife.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is weighing legal action to stop the spring rise, and members of the state's congressional delegation are considering legislation to help farmers along the river who discovered last year that their federal crop insurance policies would not cover flooding caused by a man-made event.

"I hope the Corps of Engineers will use this time to reconsider this ill-advised plan that could bring hardship to Missouri farm families and their communities," Blunt said in a written statement. "Their man-made flood should not be based on the weather but on the impact it will have on people's lives and livelihood."

A final determination on water levels will be made Wednesday at about 10 a.m. Central time, based on pool gauge readings that come from the six reservoirs in Nebraska, Montana and North and South Dakota, Cieslik said.

Cieslik said recent cold weather in Montana and the Dakotas reduced the flow of melting ice on the river's tributaries.

"We would not expect to get much inflow in two days," Cieslik said. "It would have to get very warm and start melting some ice in the tributaries, and we really don't see that in the weather forecast."


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## Bert (Sep 11, 2003)

One of the recent proposals involves pumping water from the lakes in Ottertail County here in Minnesota to prevent catastrophy in the event of a drought (which is overdue). This water would be piped to the cities (mainly North Dakota cities) in the RRV especially those who have outgrown their own supply as it is. 
As it stands, a 30's like drought would devistate folks along the Red and into NoDak a piece. Truely sad, truely scary.
As a resident of Ottertail County and a person who sandbagged in Fargo the last time mother nature proved that Fargo is located in a really dumb place and a person was invited to hunt in NoDak but no longer does because of the restrictions which were driven largely by the folks here at NoDak Outdoors, I find this thread real interesting.
I will keep my comments to myself, suffice it to say that I find it interesting.
At a recent meeting in Ottertail County regarding this issue, a man was quoted "maybe we should annex North Dakota and turn it into a hunting preserve and give them all the water they want."
Point being, if you think that the restrictions havent had a negative impact on more than just a handful of folks here in Mn. you are dead wrong. That and you may someday find yourselves short of a vantage point to spout off about who peed away whose valuable resources.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Bert You have good friends that invite you to ND to hunt and you wont go. I have seen GO offer you free hunting and you wont go. You turn every subject into a pissing match with your winning about ND regulations. Your mouth is so full of sour grapes its choking you. Can you contribute anything positive or constructive?


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## Bert (Sep 11, 2003)

How could I view the possibility of sucking water out of lakes in my area and shipping it to North Dakota as positive?
Yes the grapes are sour for me and for a lot of other people.
Nobody offered me "free" hunting as there is still the license involved and the money is only part of the equation. I do have friends out there who want me to hunt with them but the money and the time and mostly the principle of the situation keeps me here.
Throwing my two cents in here once and a while...pointing out some of the hypocrisy...venting a little about how you want fewer NRs hunting over there and yet there is no qualms about fishing over here, golfing over here, snowmobiling over here and now, possibly taking water from over here... you get my drift...makes me feel a little better. You dont like it? Dont read it. You dont want to get me going? Dont respond.
You guys go on about how Minnesota hunters should stay home and fix their habitat and then discuss who is going to bail you out when the hunting issues are going to be way down on the list of things to get all worked up about? You dont want leasing and high buck NRs hiring GOs so you price and short time the NR freelancer out of the game?
I think that what I have to say here is constructive. If you guys only heard your own side of the story, that is what you would base your thinking on. I just offer up a view from a different perspective. Do with it what you want.


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## MOB (Mar 10, 2005)

Border Battles?
Now that Minnesotas walleye season is closed, how do you think the people in the Dakotas feel about Minnesota fisherman pouring over the borders to fish our walleyes? I head out to the Missouri river near Chamberlian on nice spring days and almost every other boat is from Minnesota. What should be done about this?


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## Bert (Sep 11, 2003)

Sucks, dont it.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

*Corps decides against release of water on Missouri*

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday that it will not conduct a spring pulse this month on the Missouri River, saying the amount of water in its system of reservoirs is too low.

The corps had planned for man-made releases in March and May to encourage spawning by an endangered fish, the pallid sturgeon. However, the corps said reservoirs along the river held just 36.3 million acre-feet of water Wednesday morning, or 200,000 acre-feet below the minimum set by the corps. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover an acre, one foot deep.

The March pulse would have been the first release of water under the corps' plan for a spring rise. The plan is the result of more than a decade of legal wrangling among diverse interests along the river, including environmental groups, farmers, recreational groups and the barge industry.

Missouri officials worry that a release of water could flood farms and hurt the barge industry, while officials in Montana and the Dakotas worry that reservoirs may lack enough water for boating and fishing interests.

Environmental groups see the spring rise plan as the best way to protect river wildlife.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Corps' spring rise on target for May

By CHUCK CLEMENT 
Capital Journal Staff

Despite the cancellation of a artificial March spring rise along the upper Missouri River, conditions are promising for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a manufactured spring rise during May.

The corps reported that the winter runoff into the Missouri River Reservoirs totaled 1 million acre-feet in February, 96 percent of the usual runoff that occurs each year. An acre-foot of water equals the volume that covers an acre of land

with one foot of water. The mountain snowmelt in 2006 remains slightly above normal for this time of the year.

The corps planned to initiate two manufactured spring rises this spring - the first in March and April and the second in May. When conducted, the artificial spring rises will recreate the seasonal conditions along the Missouri River before the six dams were built in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Officials wanted to recreate the spring rises with "pulses" in the outflow from the Gavins Point Dam that would assist the spawning of several fish species, including the pallid sturgeon.

Although the February runoff was near normal, the total reservoir storage of 36.3 million acre-feet of water was not large enough on March 1 to hold the first spring pulse. The storage limit for holding the spring pulses stands at 36.5 million acre-feet.

Corps officials will conduct another storage check on May 1 to determine if the reservoirs hold enough water to recreate a May pulse. If the upper Missouri River experiences normal or above normal runoff this spring, the corps has reported that steady to rising levels are likely in the reservoirs during the annual fish spawn.

At the end of March, the amount of water in storage in the reservoirs was estimated at 37 million acre-feet, about 18 million acre-feet below normal.

On April 1, the corps started its support of the 2006 navigation season near St. Louis, Mo., with river flows set at minimum service levels. Similar to 2004 and 2005, the corps may not support minimum navigation targets during April in reaches where river traffic does not occur.

Officials currently expect to shorten the navigation season by 31 to 61 days, depending on the spring runoff. They will base a final decision on a July 1 check of the water in storage.

Corps officials will hold six public meetings in April to present details about the 2006 Final Annual Operating Plan and answer questions from those individuals attending the meetings. The operating plan is available on the Internet at the corps' Northwestern Division Web site at www.nwd.usace.army.mil.

The corps' meeting in Pierre is scheduled at 7 p.m. on April 12 at the Governor's Inn, 700 W. Sioux Ave. The other five meetings are scheduled as:

• April 10 in Omaha, Neb., at 5 p.m. in the corps' Northwestern Division offices, 12565 W. Center Road.

• April 11 in St. Louis, Mo., at 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Airport, 11228 Lone Eagle Drive.

• April 11 in Jefferson City, Mo., at 7 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, 1510 Jefferson St.

• April 12 in Williston, N.D., at 1 p.m. at the El Rancho Motor Hotel, 1623 Second Ave. W.

• April 13 in St. Joseph, Mo., at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 102 S. Third St.

The meetings are held each spring to to review plans for regulating the Missouri River dams and reservoirs based on the current runoff and storage conditions.

The six main stem power plants along the Missouri River generated 391 million kilowatt hours of electricity during February - only 60 percent of their normal output due to reduced releases from the dams.

The corps forecasts that energy production from the dams in 2006 will total 6.1 billion kWh, which is 61 percent of the historical average of 10 billion kWh annually.


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Maybe we'll be able to see the water line from the Garrison Diversion embankment to the west. :-?


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Missouri River appeals 
By MARY CLARE JALONICK AND SAM HANANEL Associated Press Writers 
The Associated Press - Tuesday, April 25, 2006

WASHINGTON

In a victory for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear challenges to a lower court ruling that favors the navigation industry over recreation and other interests on the Missouri River.

The action, which involves several cases, let stand without comment a ruling last August by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

That decision said recreation and environmental concerns along the river are of lesser value than maintaining barge traffic along the river's shipping channel.

Monday's action is a blow to North Dakota, South Dakota and environmental groups that appealed the ruling.

The states wanted a higher priority given to the multimillion dollar fishing business upstream, which has suffered from a loss of water directed downstream.

Conservation groups argued that the corps should reduce the amount of water released for navigation over the summer to help protect endangered fish and birds.

"We've apparently struck a reasonable middle ground and will continue to try to meet the needs of all the authorized purposes," said Paul Johnston, a spokesman for the corps' northwestern division office in Omaha, Neb.

The corps for years has fought challenges to its authority to manage the nation's longest river. The Supreme Court action also comes just a week before the corps is expected to move forward with controversial plans for an artificial "spring rise" on the river.

Johnston said Monday that water levels in reservoirs that feed the river likely will remain high enough for a release to take place after May 1. The release is timed to encourage spawning by the pallid sturgeon, a fish on the endangered species list.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said he is disappointed in the court's decision.

"What we now have is a contorted view that for some reason the meager and puny navigation industry is entitled to priority over much more robust uses," he said.

Stenehjem said the decision leaves the states with few options because Congress is unlikely to intervene in their favor.

"The only other thing we can do is pray for more rain and snowfall in the winter months," he said.

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon called the outcome "good news" for Missouri, saying it reaffirms the understanding that all decisions about the river must be made with flood control and navigation in mind.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., agreed and said the key is "to ensure that federal river managers enforce that law as confirmed by the courts."

The Missouri River begins in Montana and runs through or alongside North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri before emptying into the Mississippi River.

Congress passed the Flood Control Act in 1944, authorizing the construction of a dam and reservoir system on the upper river to control spring flooding.

The Dakotas and Montana have been pushing the corps to store more water in the reservoirs, while downstream states resist the idea. They rely on the water to maintain Missouri River barge shipping and satisfy other needs, including water supplies to some cities.

Last month, the court refused to hear North Dakota's arguments that the corps violated state water pollution laws in managing the Missouri River's water flows.

While the corps will not make a final decision on the spring rise until May 1, Johnston said that as of Monday, the six upper reservoirs feeding the main stem of the river have 37.6 million acre feet of water. That is more than a million acre feet above the minimum set by the corps earlier this year, when officials announced final plans for the spring rise.

"I don't see any way that we would get below the 36.5 restriction" by May 1, Johnston said.

Lawmakers in Montana and the Dakotas worry the release might not leave enough water for boating and fishing interests upstream. Missouri officials vehemently oppose the plan, saying it could flood farmland along the river and harm the barge industry.

Environmental groups generally support the plan as the best way to protect river wildlife.

Johnston said the corps is doing its best to balance the needs of all interests along the river and will cut back or cancel the spring pulse if there is a risk of downstream flooding.

As of Monday, monitoring stations in Omaha, Nebraska City, and Kansas City, Mo., all were well below flood stage, and Johnston said it is "unlikely" that levels would reach a danger point in the next few days.

Johnston said the agency has deliberately stored extra water above the Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams in South Dakota in anticipation of the May pulse. He said the corps would not remove water from Lake Oahe in South Dakota.

A first pulse was supposed to take place on the river earlier this year but was called off because water levels in reservoirs that feed the river were too low.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Despite lawsuit, Missouri River rise to go forth as planned 
By MATT SEDENSKY Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Tuesday, May 02, 2006

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

A controversial move to save an endangered fish by artificially raising water levels on the Missouri River will go forward despite a lawsuit to halt it, the Army Corps of Engineers said Monday.

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon filed suit Friday to stop the release of water from reservoirs along the upper Missouri River over worries it would flood farmland. The Corps of Engineers said it would go forth with its plan anyway, though it is unclear precisely when.

Paul Johnston, an Omaha, Neb.-based spokesman for the corps, said the release was dependent on water temperature, current and forecasted river flows and rain. It is to happen sometime before May 19.

The plan is the result of a 2003 Fish and Wildlife Service opinion that calls on the corps to protect the endangered pallid sturgeon by attempting to replicate the way melting mountain snow made the river rise each spring before dams were built.

The corps' plan had called for two spring rises this year, but the first was canceled because water levels in reservoirs feeding the river were too low. The corps said the reservoirs now have more than enough water.

There is wide dissent to artificially increasing the river level. Along the river's northern reaches, in Montana and the Dakotas, there are worries it will drain reservoirs too much to sustain normal boating and fishing interests. Downstream, there is concern crops could be flooded and barging could be sidetracked.

U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., said he was disappointed with the corps' decision.

"The spring rise policy is bad for Missouri, with potentially devastating impacts for farmers who work the land along the river," he said.

Most environmental groups see the plan as a good way to protect the river's wildlife. And Brig. Gen. Gregg Martin, the corps' northwestern division commander, said all those concerns were considered.

"The corps worked closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service, basin tribes and stakeholders to develop a plan for spring pulses that benefits the fish with the least possible impact to other users of the river and reservoirs," he said.

Nixon did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment Monday.

The Missouri River stretches about 2,540 miles, making it the second-longest river in the country, behind the Mississippi, which it flows into north of St. Louis.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Spring rise to begin at midnight Friday, corps says 
By SAM HANANEL Associated Press Writer 
The Associated Press - Thursday, May 11, 2006

WASHINGTON

The long-disputed artificial spring rise on the Missouri River will begin at midnight Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says.

A corps spokesman said water conditions are right to begin releasing water from upstream reservoirs in South Dakota to encourage spawning by the pallid sturgeon, a fish on the endangered species list.

After the pulse begins, the amount of water released will steadily increase to a two-day peak on Sunday and Monday. Starting Tuesday, releases will be gradually reduced over a 10-day period until they return to the level needed for minimum navigation flows.

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon has filed suit in federal court to stop the spring rise from taking place, but the judge has not yet made a decision.

Missouri officials fear the release of water could flood thousands of acres of Missouri farmland along the river. Corps officials dispute that, saying they carefully considered downstream water levels before approving the spring rise.

"Given the downstream conditions, there's just no way it's going to cause anybody any problems," said Paul Johnston, a spokesman for the corps' northwestern division office in Omaha, Neb.

Nixon said he would press on with his lawsuit.

"The state of Missouri believes this sets a misguided precedent," he said in a written statement.

Johnston estimated that water would rise only about a foot in central Missouri once the pulse reaches that part of the river.

Overall, water levels are actually expected to fall over the next 10 days because of decreased flows from tributaries, Johnston said. By the time the pulse reaches the central Missouri town of Boonville, weather forecasts show the water level will be a foot lower than it was Thursday, he said.

"We've looked at the forecast from the National Weather Service for not only the likelihood of rain, but also the quantity, and we don't see anything out there that's going to change this," Johnston said.

The Missouri is the nation's longest river, running 2,714 miles from Montana to Missouri.


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