Corps releases reply on wildlife

OMAHA, Neb. - The fight between Missouri farmers, businessinterests, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers for control of the Missouri River advancedanother step last week.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released to the public a draftresponse to the wildlife service about the best way to protectendangered species of fish and birds in the Missouri River.

The draft report leaves many specifics unanswered, but the corpsexpressed its commitment to regular modification of its managementactions in an effort to respond to changing environmental conditionsalong the Missouri River, said Paul Johnston, a spokesman for thecorps.

This is another step as the corps moves toward the conclusion inMay of its decade-long effort to rewrite its master manual foroperating the Missouri River.

Despite concerns expressed by many downstream interests includingthe state of Missouri, the corps in its draft agreed to some flowmodifications by 2003, but those modifications aren't specified.

The corps also said that the Missouri River from the Platte Riversouth to St. Louis has an annual spring rise because of all thetributary rivers that feed into America's longest river.

The other provision to river-flow modifications requires thatwater storage at Gavins Point Dam is adequate and spring runoff istypical.

The corps is apparently concerned that despite an annual springrise below the Platte River, there has been little or no gain seenin the populations of endangered species.

The corps believes there is additional research that needs to bein place to benefit endangered species, said Glenn Covington, abiologist working for the corps.

"We know so little about a lot of the species," he said.

However, the corps is committed to adding the 20,000 acres ofrestored habitat that the Fish and Wildlife Service is asking for,Mr. Covington said. This is contingent on sufficient funding for theadditional habitat changes along the river, Mr. Convington added.

Since the 1993 flood, various state and federal agencies haveprotected more than 50,000 acres of Missouri River habitat,particularly in the flood-plain areas.

A bill that included bipartisan support for additional habitatrestoration projects along the Missouri River was vetoed byPresident Clinton.

The next step in moving toward the release of a revised mastermanual in May is the release of a final implementation plan on thewildlife service's biological opinion.

That report will be released on Feb. 16, Mr. Johnston said.

Anyone wishing to read the draft response to the Fish andWildlife Service's biological opinion can do so on the Internet atwww.

nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/mmanual/opinion.htm. Responses to the draftopinion can be e-mailed to mastermanual@usace.army.mil.

Individuals can also write to Project Manager, Missouri RiverBiological Implementation Plan, Omaha District, 215 N. 17th St.,Omaha, NE 68102.