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| Missouri River Basin Interagency Work Group | |
|---|---|
| Name | Missouri River Basin Interagency Work Group |
| Formation | 1980s |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Region served | Missouri River, Missouri River Basin, Upper Missouri River |
| Membership | Federal agencies, state agencies, tribal governments |
| Leader title | Chair |
Missouri River Basin Interagency Work Group is a multi-agency body focused on water management, flood control, navigation, fish and wildlife, and tribal interests across the Missouri River and its tributaries. The group brings together federal agencies, state executives, and tribal leaders to coordinate implementation of laws, projects, and studies affecting the Missouri River Basin, the Mississippi River, and linked watersheds. It operates at the intersection of policy stemming from landmark instruments such as the Flood Control Act of 1944, the Missouri River Recovery Program, and court decisions including the Missouri v. Holland jurisprudence.
The Work Group emerged amid 20th-century disputes over river regulation involving actors like the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and state governors from Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Its genesis followed controversies tied to projects such as the Fort Peck Dam, the Garrison Dam, the Oahe Dam, and the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Influential events shaping its creation included environmental litigation invoking the Endangered Species Act of 1973, rulings by the United States Supreme Court, and negotiations after floods like the Great Flood of 1993 and the Missouri River flooding of 2011. Early participants referenced reports from the National Research Council, studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, and analyses from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Membership spans federal departments including the Department of the Interior, the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, and agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. State delegations often include attorneys general, natural resources directors, and representatives from state legislatures such as the Nebraska Legislature and the Kansas Legislature. Tribal representation includes nations like the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, the Crow Tribe, and the Assiniboine and Sioux. Observers and partners have included the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the Missouri River Basin Association, and non-governmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, the National Audubon Society, and the Sierra Club.
The Work Group’s mandate aligns with statutes and policies including the River and Harbor Act, the Clean Water Act, and provisions of the Endangered Species Act. Objectives emphasize coordinated implementation of water storage and release operations managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, reconciliation of navigation needs tied to the Port of St. Louis and inland barge traffic, mitigation of flood risk affecting communities like Bismarck, North Dakota and Omaha, Nebraska, and restoration of habitat for species protected under listings such as the Pallid sturgeon and the Least tern (Sterna antillarum) decisions. It also addresses treaty obligations with tribes derived from instruments like the Fort Laramie Treaty and consultative duties under Executive Order 13175.
Activities include development of coordinated basin studies, adaptive management frameworks, and environmental impact analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act. Programs often center on sediment management around structures such as Fort Peck Lake, riparian restoration near the Platte River, and fish passage research linked to the Missouri River Recovery Program. The group sponsors technical workshops involving the U.S. Geological Survey's water-data networks, modeling efforts using tools from the Hydrologic Engineering Center, and pilot projects supported by entities like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. It has overseen interagency responses to incidents recorded by the National Weather Service and coordinated post-flood recovery alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Coordination extends to regional bodies such as the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee, the Upper Missouri Basin Association, and international links with the International Joint Commission where transboundary issues occur. Partnerships include academic institutions like University of Missouri, Montana State University, and South Dakota State University for research on hydrology, ecology, and socioeconomics; collaborations with the American Rivers nonprofit and basin-wide coalitions; and engagement with navigation stakeholders including the American Waterways Operators and port authorities like the Port of Kansas City. Memoranda of understanding have been signed with agencies implementing climate resilience strategies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate programs.
Funding derives from federal appropriations authorized by Congress through committees such as the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, program-specific budgets for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and line items in the Department of the Interior budget. Grants and cooperative agreements flow from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's wetland programs, and regional development authorities like the Delta Regional Authority. In-kind contributions include technical staff from the U.S. Geological Survey, laboratory analyses from the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, and volunteer efforts coordinated with the Student Conservation Association.
Critics include state officials, tribal leaders, and environmental groups who contest prioritization of navigation and flood control over ecosystem restoration, citing cases involving the Pallid sturgeon litigation and disputes over reservoir operation rules established by the USACE Missouri River Master Manual. Controversies have invoked the National Environmental Policy Act compliance debates, conflicting statutory interpretations related to the Flood Control Act of 1944, and tensions arising from enforcement actions connected to the Clean Water Act. Legal challenges have reached federal courts involving stakeholders such as the American Rivers litigation and state attorney generals, while congressional oversight hearings by the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee have scrutinized transparency, tribal consultation, and allocation of river benefits.