JUNE 17 PROGRAM -- MISSOURI RIVER Chad Smith of American Rivers will be the speaker for the Wednesday, June 17 program of the Central Iowa Sierra Group. He will be presenting a program on his work with American Rivers in the midwest, with a concentration on the Missouri River. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are held at Grace United Methodist Church, 37th and Cottage Grove in Des Moines. If there are questions about the program, please call Jane Clark at 515-223-5047 or [log in to unmask] This month we will also hold a new member welcome at 6:00 p.m. for snacks and beverages. New and old members are invited to attend. When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the Missouri in 1804, they found a dynamic river of meandering channels, thousands of islands and sandbars, and a rich floodplain of wetlands, grasses, and forests. Today, Lewis and Clark would not recognize the Missouri River and many of the river wildlife species that filled their journal pages might soon disappear forever. American Rivers recently named the Missouri River the nation's Most Endangered River for 2002. The conservation group and its partners cited the operations of six dams that are driving several fish and wildlife species towards extinction and crippling the river's economic potential as a recreational and tourist destination. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]