And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: link provided by Robert Quiver..thanks, Ish Latest news on the Missouri River http://www.capjournal.com/Article_detail_display.cfm?ID=296&Article=Ne Report says Missouri River endangered Tuesday, April 13, 1999 Dorinda Daniel Channelizations, dams, bank stabilization and poor grazing practices have earned the Missouri River the number two ranking on American Rivers' report "America's Most Endangered Rivers." The report by the river conservation organization lists the 10 rivers facing the most immediate, severe environmental degradation this year. "The storied Missouri River of Lewis and Clark fame was once a river of meandering channels, islands and sandbars, and a resource-rich flood plain. But Lewis and Clark wouldn't recognize the Missouri today," said Chad Smith of Lincoln, Neb., Missouri River regional representative for American Rivers. There is an ongoing problem with the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the dams on the Missouri River, he said. "The dams and reservoirs are managed to support a minimal amount of barge traffic on the lower Missouri," Smith said. "That system is not good for wildlife and not good for people." The river doesn't have the natural flow of rising in the spring to trigger fish reproduction, build sandbars and regenerate cottonwoods, followed by declining flows during the summer. Below Sioux City, Iowa, the river has been squeezed to one-third its original width and shortened by almost 130 miles. About all the river's islands and sandbars are gone, and nearly 100 species of wildlife are threatened, according to American Rivers. There are few natural pieces left of the river, Smith said. These few remaining wild sections are in trouble from efforts to place riprap on river banks for bank stabilization. Dennis Unkenholz, the fisheries administrator for the Department of Game, Fish & Parks, said he has been reading a book by Daniel Botkin titled, "Our Natural History: The Lessons of Lewis and Clark." In their journals, Lewis and Clark recorded how they had seen islands form and river banks fall into the water. "We've tried to stabilize everything. We've taken away the natural ability of the river to function like when Lewis and Clark were traveling on the river and making their observations," Unkenholz said. Some species of fish native to the Missouri River have been able to maintain reproduction with help. Other species native to the river have a difficult time surviving in regulated sections of the reservoirs, Unkenholz said. "The long-term future for some native river fish is pretty bleak," he said. According to American Rivers, the purpose of the report on endangered rivers is to draw attention to the rivers on the list and send a "wake up" call to mobilize the public and policy makers to take action before it is too late. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will choose a preferred alternative in October for the way it operates the Missouri dams, Smith said. People need to attend and testify at the public hearings that will take place before a decision is made. South Dakotans need to write or e-mail members of Congress, Gov. Bill Janklow and secretary of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources Nettie Meyers with their opinions on issues that affect the Missouri River. People need to let local officials know their opinions about local land use around the Missouri River. The Missouri River has been included in the report "America's Most Endangered Rivers since 1995. The river topped the list in 1997, but has been ranked second in 1998 and now in 1999. Rivers are evaluated and ranked by American Rivers based on the following criteria: �Magnitude of the threat. �The imminence of the threat. �The likelihood that major action during the coming year could either increase or decrease the threat. �The regional and national significance of the river. �The river's qualifications as a representative of threats facing other rivers across the country. American River's 1999 list of the nation's 10 most endangered rivers is: 1. Lower Snake River, Washington. 2. Missouri River. 3. Alabama-Coose-Tallapoosa River Basin, Georgia, Alabama. 4. San Pedro River, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. 5. Yellowstone River, Montana, North Dakota. 6. Cedar River, Washington. 7. Fox River, Illinois, Wisconsin. 8. Carmel River, California. 9. Coal River, West Virginia. 10. Bear River, Utah. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
