Army Corps of Engineers Begin Spring Rise Today, NCGA Notes (5-12-06)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began its first-ever “man-made” spring rise from the Missouri River reservoir system today in an effort to promote the spawning of the endangered pallid sturgeon, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes.

The Corps said the release will steadily increase to a two-day peak, and on May 16 flows will gradually reduce until they return to the minimum requirements for navigation.

While NCGA notes the rise magnitude and duration likely will be undetectable because of the downward trend in current river stages, the organization also believes this action sets in motion a dangerous precedent and opens the door for future haphazard management that pushes for larger release magnitudes and durations threatening floodplain interior drainage systems and flood control efforts.

NCGA notes initiating a man-made spring rise is based on a position that is not universally held by biologists in other federal agencies and lacks empirical evidence that it will cue spawning of the pallid sturgeon. Research needs to be conducted to determine what will create habitat for the species and whether this habitat can be created without adversely impacting other Missouri River uses.

According to NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team Chairman Bill Chase, corn growers recognize and work to enhance the recreational and environmental value of the Missouri River; however, priority should be placed on economic uses of the river, such as power generation and navigation.

“Environmental management is important, but economics should come first,” said Chase. “The river is a vital component to power generation, flood control for farmland, irrigation and navigation and is used for domestic water use. There have been back-to-back drought years and the Missouri River is at historically low levels. It doesn’t make economic sense.”

Chase noted altering the management of the Missouri River would affect farmers in downstream states such as Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas by potentially flooding their land and also would affect rural water systems upstream in South Dakota.

“Millions of dollars have been spent to install thousands of miles of lines for rural water systems, providing safe drinking water for farms, towns and industry upstream,” he said.

The Missouri River contributes approximately 60 percent of the Mississippi River flow. Without proper management of river flow over the course of the year, rural communities and the transportation industry that utilize the river could be hampered by insufficient water levels on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.