A Seat at the Table

With every opportunity comes a challenge and visa versa. Mother nature has provided us the opportunity of the Missouri River, and with it comes the challenge of sedimentation. Historically, the Missouri River is a sediment producer. Over the years, dams—especially Gavins Point—have impounded most of that sediment, thereby creating issues not only here where we have collected too much and are choking ourselves out, but also down along the Mississippi River and Delta where they don’t get enough sedimentation, so their coastline has been eroding away.

Though many scientific studies have been done related to sedimentation, solutions to resolve issues here and further south have not yet been found. It’s one thing to sit back and let nature take its course, but it’s quite another to be involved. Those of us in the FOMNRR organization have chosen to be involved. We don’t have any more of an answer as to what to do than any other entity or organization, but we are at the table, and that’s what is important.

In January, 2021, we were asked by the Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) to provide scoping comments for their Master Plan, which was proposed to come out later this year. Addressing the challenge of sedimentation is one of the Master Plan’s
major topics. In addition to USACE, the Missouri Sedimentation Action Coalition (MSAC) has recently reached out to FOMNRR to be a partner in the development of a comprehensive Sediment Management Plan for Lewis and Clark Lake. Being asked to participate in this planning shows that FOMNRR can work with agencies and advocacy groups to help resolve issues as big as the Missouri River itself.

FOMNRR appreciates being actively engaged in the challenges we are facing today. For our quality of life, it’s not only having what’s important—we have to maintain it, too. Keeping the Missouri River as a viable ecosystem is critical to our organization, and chances are that it’s important to you as well. Thank you for your support, involvement, trust in us, and for helping us earn “That Seat at the Table.” The Missouri National Recreational River is something to be passionate about and worth keeping healthy and viable for future generations to come.