The "Mighty Mo," America's longest river, flows past communities in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri – plus it receives water from Wyoming, Colorado and Minnesota. The Izaak Walton League is working with partners throughout the region to make sure this amazing waterway stays healthy. Here's what happened along the river in August.

Mixed News for Missouri River Runoff

Runoff into the Missouri River above Sioux City was 2.8 million acre feet (MAF) in July. That’s 85 percent of average. The upper basin continued to see below-average runoff while the lower basin was above average. The latest annual runoff forecast above Sioux City is 23.9 MAF. That would raise this year's total runoff to 93 percent of average.

Over half the basin remains abnormally dry or in various levels of drought. The extended outlook shows drought conditions persisting at least through October. Water stored in the reservoirs peaked July 11 and levels are expected to decline the rest of the year. The amount of water on September 1 will determine winter release rates from the reservoir system.

Learn more about water management.

Corps Hosts Tour and Recovery Workshop

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted the annual Adaptive Management Workshop in Nebraska City, July 30-August 1. The event included a tour of five fish and wildlife mitigation locations and updates on the Missouri River Recovery Program (MRRP). I attended the tour and workshop along with other members of the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC). Members of the Independent Science Advisory Panel (ISAP) and the Fish Technical Team also joined us.

On the tour we visited locations where habitat is being restored. The purpose of the mitigation project is to recover a portion of the more than 522,000 acres of habitat destroyed during the construction of the Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project from Sioux City to St. Louis. The Corps is authorized to acquire 166,750 acres in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. About 66,000 acres have been purchased so far. Mitigation areas are open for public recreation. They provide crucial habitat for fish and wildlife while improving water quality and reducing flood risk.

The Corps did not unveil the new approach for lower river pallid recovery at the workshop as was anticipated. The Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Fish Technical Team continue to develop the new Biological Assessment (BA) for lower river pallid recovery. The BA is expected to be released later this year. The BA will be formally reviewed by FWS and ISAP.

Update on the Fort Peck Test Flow

During the football season, you’ll hear officials say “after further review” following a look at replays which can result in a change of the previous call. Well, that has happened with the Fort Peck Dam test flows on the upper Missouri River. This year, for the first time, the Corps implemented test flows from Fort Peck Dam in northeastern Montana to assess potential benefits for the endangered pallid sturgeon.

The test releases began April 26 and were scheduled to run to September 1. However, the flows were abruptly terminated in late July when the Corps cited a lack of evidence of pallid spawning activity. However, on July 31 United States Geological Survey (USGS) researchers recaptured a radio-tagged female pallid. Using ultrasound, the crew determined the pallid had spawned.

This was only the second-ever confirmed pallid spawning on the upper Missouri River between Fort Peck and Garrison dams. USGS is reviewing the data to determine the location and timing of the spawn and if any young pallids survived. The information gathered will be used in the development of future test flows.

Another Term on the River Recovery Committee?

As you know, I’m retiring September 30. That date coincided with the expiration of my current term on the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC). However, many members of the Izaak Walton League's Nebraska and South Dakota divisions did not want me to give up the MRRIC seat and asked me to apply for another three-year term. I’ve been representing conservation and environmental organizations on MRRIC since the committee was formed in October 2008. The Corps will announce the reappointments and new members to the committee in September.

MRRIC is a congressionally authorized federal advisory committee charged with providing recommendations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the recovery actions for the endangered pallid sturgeon and threatened piping plover. I’ve advocated for actions that result in sustainable wild populations of fish and wildlife, abundant habitat, increased public recreation, improved water quality and reduced flood risk.

MRRIC has two more meetings this year: one in Sioux Falls, September 17-19, and another in Omaha in early December.

Sign Up for New Missouri River Newsletter

With my retirement on the horizon, this Missouri River Initiative newsletter will end next month. I want to thank all of you for your ongoing interest and support of the Missouri River Initiative over the years. I also want to thank Janette Rosenbaum, the League’s Strategic Communications Manager, for her great work in putting the final shine on the newsletter each month and for getting it to you.

If you want to stay up to date on Missouri River issues and other resource topics, please sign up for a new version of this newsletter. The new newsletter won’t be sent monthly, but rather on an as-needed basis. I’ll keep you updated on the Missouri River Recovery Program, the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC), the Lewis and Clark Lake Sediment Management Plan, and other topics.

My contact information will also change. Please start using this email in October: pauldonna2@pie.midco.net. My cell number remains the same: 605-220-1219. Let me know if you have any questions.

Missouri River Outdoor Expo

The League will again have a booth at the Missouri River Outdoor Expo in Ponca State Park near Ponca, Nebraska, September 21-22. This is one of the largest free outdoor expos in the Midwest.

In our booth we talk to people about the League’s conservation efforts, and we help kids and adults turn plastic beverage bottles into bird feeders that they take home and hang up in their yard. We need a lot of volunteers at the expo - if you want to help, email me at plepisto@iwla.org for more information.

South Dakota Division Comments on Antelope Plan

The League's South Dakota Division submitted comments on South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks’ Draft Pronghorn Antelope Action Plan. When finalized, the plan will guide antelope management for the next five years.

The Division supported the objectives in the plan, especially those pertaining to enhancing grassland habitat and working to increase public hunting access. Read the Division’s comment letter.

Top photo: Driftwood by the Missouri River. Photo credits: Paul Lepisto.