Group is set to name the Missouri nation's most endangered river

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 4-2-02 | Bill Lambrecht

[FairWitness]

WASHINGTON - With a critical government decision about its future looming, the Missouri River will be named today as the nation's most endangered river in an annual ranking by conservationists.

The Missouri topped the Big Sunflower River in Mississippi and the Klamath River in California and Oregon for the distinction as most threatened in the 17th annual rating by American Rivers, the nation's pre-eminent river advocacy group.

[FairWitness]

Either way, what will be the cost?

[KC Burke]

Remember that throughout our past history, the Corp and other government agencies have been charged with protecting and promoting travel and commerce on these rivers and assisting in flood protection and harnessing the rivers' power by making studied improvements.

In recent years, leftist anti-human agendas have made the traditional, studied and legally mandated actions of government un-politically correct. These activists want to stop such actions entirely rather than careful reform based on changed conditions of commerce, usage and travel.

This whole issue is now cast as that Leftist standard rallying cry: A Crisis. As such it is then trumpeted as something needing big governement intervention....but only as outline by the Leftist Annointed.

Its anti-citizen and meant to forward a Leftist Agenda.

Is careful reform perhaps needed in some areas? Certainly, but it well never get a fair consideration due to the landslide of politically motivated and self-styled experts.

[alaskanfan]

8. Canning River - Alaska. Threatened by proposal to drill in nearby Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

I find it ironic that they mention the Canning River because of the possibility that ANWR might be opened to drilling, while ignoring the Sagavanirktak and Kuparuk rivers which flow through the current oil fields on the north slope. More environmentalist scare tactics that unfortunately threaten the economy of my state.

[TwoStep]

**Ping**

[FairWitness]

As an illustration of the power of the Missouri River to "change its course" (and as a good read besides), I recommend the following book:

Treasure In A Cornfield, by Greg Hawley.

This Book includes: 150 color photographs and illustrations, a chronological story
of the Arabia excavation, cargo distribution diagram , and complete Arabia inventory.
Treasure hunter Greg Hawley chronicles this amazing story of perseverance and
discovery. Lavishly illustrated and carefully documented, this book is a page turning
adventure that emerses the reader into the thrilling discovery of buried treasure.

The steamer Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856. Since the time it sank, the river has moved North and East, eventually leaving the wreck in what is now a cornfield in Kansas, 45 feet below the surface!

[Wallace T.]

I hope that the Bush Administration's officials can superimpose the Missouri drainage basin map over the one for the 2000 election results. The Missouri River runs through predominantly "Red" country. "Re-wilding" this river would be a great disservice to states from Missouri to Montana that voted for the President and the GOP.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I remember hearing about the Arabia.
The wondering river has been damaged by the Corp of Engineers, mainly because of straightening switchbacks and oxbows to improve barge navigation. After the floods on the Mississippi in the 1990's, the perverse logic of living and farming in these flood plains should be obvious to everyone.

[AdA$tra]

Ultimately, the river will win any battle. It will exist long after we are gone. The Missouri proved itself in '93 by defining its own path in many places. I happen to live on the No. 4 river on the hit parade. I wonder how much Bison poop was in it when the herds spread farther than the eye could see? As far as the Atrazine and other chemicals....I would like to see that addressed somewhat, as I drink from this river every day. I still would not kill the farmers at the expense of the tiny parts per billion amounts of chemicals in the mighty Kaw. The Kansas River is much cleaner now than it was 20 years ago when I swam in it often.

[narby]

It's astounding the media coverage some leftist groups can generate by simply coming up with a list and faxing it to their buddies in the newsrooms.

[Ben Ficklin]

Regarding the Guadalupe River in Texas which is # 9 on the list: San Antonio has signed an agreement with the River Authority to purchase 12 billion gallons over 10 years from the mouth of the Guadalupe. Before the ink was dry, they began negotiating for more. It will take 10 years to build the pipeline to deliver the water. Not mentioned by American Rivers is the fact that this water will flow back to the same bay from which it came.

San Antonio is in a tight situation on water. They have relied exclusively on pumping water from the Edwards Aquifer and are rapidly approaching the point that this will be insufficient. It doesn't help that some minnows in a spring have been declared endangered and a Federal Judge set minimum levels on the aquifer.

San Antonio has also recently signed an agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority(the Texas Colorado River) to do feasibility/environmental studies on two new dams on the Colorado, some where south of Austin, from which they could get water.

[phil1750]

As a Missouri resident I can speak with knowledge of the Ole Muddy. While I agree that this is no place to take the kids swimming, cities in Missouri no longer dump their untreated municipal waste directly into the river (as they once did)

[AdA$tra]

That is the main reason the Kaw (Kansas) River is cleaner now as well. Of course our Kaw water today, is your Ole Muddy water tomorrow!

[GSWarrior]

Certainly seems to be an anti-business slant to that list of endangered rivers.

[FairWitness]

Ultimately, the river will win any battle. It will exist long after we are gone.

It may not run in exactly the same riverbed as now, but it will be there. There is a shopping center west of St. Louis on Hwy 40 (I think named Boone's Crossing) which was something like 20 feet under water during the last big flood. Nevertheless, it was rebuilt and is still growing - a testament to human irrational optimism. I think some measure of flood control must be good, but don't know enough to say how much. Letting the river be more "natural" will inevitably mean periodic flooding of some farms and businesses. If someone is willing to insure them (other than the Federal Gov., which should not do so) that is their problem.

[Cleburne]

I am of the opinion that living on the floodplain of a living river (which they are: a river is not a static thing at all) is a foolish and harmful thing (mainly to yourself!). Now, I do not think the government should force people off of floodplains, no, but I do not think the government should provide insuarance for people who recklessly build in these locations, and I think channelization and flood control should be kept at a minimum.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don't know how living or doing business in a floodplain became a conservative issue; perhaps its connected to property rights. But the federal insurance to bail out fools comes out of my pocket. I think I've got as much or more right to my money than floodplainers do.

[AdA$tra]

My Brother-in-law is a State Rep. from St. Charles. We visited them regularly in '93. It was amazing where the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers were then. He was a City Councilman just after that and was instumental in getting some of the idiots to relocate out of harms way. We went out on some of the farm levees in the area. Kind of spooky when they go squish when you walk on them with the river raging a few feet away.