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UPDATE:
Public comments will be accepted through Monday, July 8th. Please send them to Kevin Baskins at the DNR: [log in to unmask].
Your comments CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. We need to speak up to help protect Iowa's natural and wild spaces before it's too late. As proud as we are of our agricultural heritage, we also have a diverse landscape that offers unique outdoor opportunities and it
is our responsibility to preserve this legacy for future generations.
Contact the Governor and the Iowa DNR and Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in support of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
Missouri River Valley Restoration and Mitigation efforts and to counter big Ag attempts to halt projects to restore and protect native species and wildlife habitat along the Missouri
River.
A public meeting to discuss proposed development of shallow river habitat projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) was held on Friday, June 28th at the
Lewis & Clark State Park Visitor’s Center.
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Iowa Rivers Revival urges the IA DNR to support the efforts of the USACE to continue restoration and mitigation projects that will re-establish wildlife habitat to protect endangered
and native species in the Missouri River Valley.
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We want the USACE to partner with Iowa on restoration projects along the river.
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These chute restoration projects would re-introduce at least a semblance of channel diversity in a small area of the river.
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Straightening the Missouri River helped farming in the river valley, but was a disaster for fish and wildlife habitat.
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Restoration of some channel diversity is badly needed for native fish species and is being done without adverse impacts on farming.
USACE shallow water restoration projects improve water quality and the function and value of the Missouri River.
Iowa’s land and waters have multiple values – including economic and recreational incentives for Iowans and tourists to enjoy and engage in our outdoors.
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The restoration efforts not only provides critical habitat for endangered and native species, it also provides healthy, quality of life opportunities that will attract and retain
young Iowans, helping to boost our local economies
Iowa agriculture interests are opposing USACE shallow water restoration efforts in the Missouri River Valley based on
the double-standard argument that agriculture interests are being asked to reduce sediment loads carrying nutrients into Iowa rivers and these recovery projects are also contributing to river nutrient loads – impacting hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally,
there is concern that the additional dredge material and sediment could increase the potential for future flood events.
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Nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) concentrations do not increase downstream of chutes after construction, and have little to no impact on nutrients contributing to hypoxia in the
Gulf of Mexico.
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The benefits of these ecosystem restoration projects greatly outweigh the insignificant levels (0.01% or less of the Missouri and Mississippi River nutrient loads), in fact these
restoration projects could help reduce these loads and improve current water quality conditions.
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The USACE have conducted studies determining that sediment dispersal does not impact flood stages, wildlife or habitat.
Please submit your comments today in support of these vital efforts to protect and restore Iowa’s environment.
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