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Sioux City Journal, January 29, 2002

Conference aims at compromise on policy for river

By Kate Thompson Capitol correspondent

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will meet with its counterparts
from states bordering the Missouri River Thursday in Denver to seek a
compromise on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' proposed new flows.

The current flow of the river endangers the pallid sturgeon, the lesser tern
and the piping plover, three animal species that are native to the Missouri
River, say experts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They, along with
the Corps of Engineers which has responsibility for the Missouri River, have
proposed changing water flows to engineer a high spring rise and low water
during the summer.

But that may endanger the future of commercial barge traffic, recreational
use of the river and even cause flooding, say opponents of the plan.

Kevin Szcodronski, Missouri River coordinator for the Iowa DNR, told the
House Agriculture Committee Monday that he will be in Denver Thursday to
discuss a compromise plan. Under that plan, the summer flow would not be
less than enough to support barges loaded to 7.5 feet of draft, about one
foot less than the current depth and the spring rise would be no more than
15,000 cfs additional, which would still leave farmers with some room in the
flood gates in case of spring rains.

He said most of the states involved, except Missouri, have signaled they may
like the compromise.

Szcodronski said the National Academy of Sciences recently weighed in on the
issue and said it's not certain what flows would be necessary in the spring
or summer to promote the survival of the three endangered species. Because
of that, the compromise would be an experiment for about 10 years, as
scientists continue study.

"It's very complex, very emotional and very politically charged,"
Szcodronski said.

The future of the river is involved with three issues -- farmers, some of
whose land is in the flood plain; drought flow management when there isn't
sufficient water in the reservoirs; and the endangered species.

He said the Missouri River today is essentially two rivers with two
different sets of problems. Above Council Bluffs, including through Sioux
City, there's been degradation of the river bottom. Below Council Bluffs
where the Platte River joins, the opposite problem exists and the river
bottom has built up. In some cases, the silt has raised the level of the
river bed on the unprotected side of levees above the farm fields on the
opposite side. Szcodronski said that makes it difficult for those fields to
drain.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has been working closely with DNR officials on the
issue, Szcodronski noted.

The House Agriculture Committee has a study bill which it plans to consider,
possibly later this week, said Rep. Ralph Klemme, R-Le Mars, who chairs the
committee. The measure is a bill rather than a resolution and aims to let
the Congress know where Iowa stands, he said. It opposes the Corps of
Engineers plan to change the river's master plan

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