The Missouri River Ecosystem: Exploring the Prospects for Recovery

by National Research Council, Division on Earth and Life Studies, Water Science and Technology Board, Committee on Missouri River Ecosystem Science

Overview

The Missouri River Ecosystem: Exploring the Prospects for Recovery resulted from a study conducted at the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The nation's longest river, the Missouri River and its floodplain ecosystem experienced substantial environmental and hydrologic changes during the twentieth century. The context of Missouri River dam and reservoir system management is marked by sharp differences between stakeholders regarding the river's proper management regime. The management agencies have been challenged to determine the appropriate balance between these competing interests. This Water Science and Technology Board report reviews the ecological state of the river and floodplain ecosystem, scientific research of the ecosystem, and the prospects for implementing an adaptive management approach, all with a view toward helping move beyond ongoing scientific and other differences. The report notes that continued ecological degradation of the ecosystem is certain unless some portion of pre-settlement river flows and processes were restored. The report also includes recommendations to enhance scientific knowledge through carefully planned and monitored river management actions and the enactment of a Missouri River Protection and Recovery Act.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780309083140
Publisher:	National Academies Press
Publication date:	08/22/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	188
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

	Executive Summary	1
1	Introduction	11
	Ecological Conditions and Trends in U.S. Rivers	15
	Shifting Values and Public Preferences	17
	Adaptive Management	18
2	Missouri River History, Management, and Legal Setting	21
	Physical Geography	21
	Human Settlement	23
	Changes in the Missouri River and Floodplain	24
	The Pick-Solan Plan	28
	Key Developments Following Pick-Sloan	38
	Missouri River Reservoirs and Dams	41
	Committee Commentary	51
3	Missouri River and Floodplain Ecology	54
	The Pre-Regulation Missouri River	55
	The Post-Regulation Missouri River	62
	Missouri River Ecosystem Physical and Ecological Units	68
	Missouri River Ecosystem Science	75
	Committee Commentary	84
4	Values of the Missouri River System and Operations	86
	Economic and Social Features in the Missouri Basin	87
	Economic Outcomes of Pick-Sloan	88
	Accounting for Ecological Benefits	100
	Secondary Benefits	102
	Tradeoffs and Constraints	102
	Committee Commentary	105
5	Adaptive Management: Enhancing Scientific Inquiry and Policy Formulation	107
	Committee Commentary	110
6	An Alternative for Missouri River Recovery	113
	A Recovery Action Plan	114
	Changing Missouri River Operations	128
	Committee Commentary	132
7	Recovering the Missouri River Ecosystem	134
	Barriers to Implementing Ecosystem Recovery	135
	Moving Toward Recovery: Identifying the Bridges	136
	Principles for Stakeholder Involvement	137
	System-Wide Management	141
	Recommendations	141
	Epilogue	143
	References	146
	Appendixes
A	Missouri River Aquatic Species	159
B	State and Federal Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Species of the Missouri River Floodplain	169
C	Biographical Sketches of Committee Members	172

Editorial Reviews

The grandiose plans for converting the river's power into economic development over the past century have fallen far short of their goals, and have never been completely implemented. They have, however, succeeded in jeopardizing many of its fundamental natural processes. The committee finds that the degradation will continue unless some of those processes are artificially restored. The report is not indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR