ST. LOUIS - Last year the Missouri River flooded. This year it's at it's lowest level in more than 20 years. Climate change and changes in water use make for an uncertain future for the river, and environmentalists are urging residents to pay attention.

On Wednesday the Army Corps of Engineers is holding a public hearing on reallocating water storage from the Missouri River. Brad Walker, wetlands and floodplain director with the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, says the Corps hasn't released many details, but it appears that competing interests, such as cities and industry, are trying to get their own supply of what could become a scarce resource in case of a long-term drought.

"They would be paying for this water, unlike a lot of the other uses, directly. They would, we would assume, get first dibs on that water."

Walker says that, with St. Louis depending on the river for its water, in case of an extended drought, it could wind up competing with industry that needs water such things as fracking, which pumps millions of gallons into the earth to release natural gas and oil. He says decisions need to be made objectively, transparently and fairly.

An environmental group, Western Resource Advocates, estimates that drilling companies out West were using an amount of water that could meet the needs of more than 100,000 households in Colorado. Water from the Colorado River is bought and paid for and fought over in court. Walker says he doesn't want that to happen to the Missouri River.

"Cities like St. Louis get their water from the river. It flows down, and that's how they get their water. I don't believe St. Louis has an allocation in the reservoirs specifically for them."

Walker says he will be attending the hearing because at this point it's unclear exactly who has issued requests to get access to larger amounts of water from the Missouri River.

"We do understand that there are companies that want to use the water that are doing fracking up in the North. That has been going on for some time, so there could have been requests for that."

The Corps of Engineers says it has enough water stored for 11 years of drought, so Walker says it's effective long-term planning that's needed. He says the reallocation of Missouri River water storage is not just an issue in the Show-Me State. It affects fish and wildlife, farmers and recreational users all along the basin in Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Iowa as well.


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Some Latinos in Arkansas were among 400 residents across 10 states polled about the health of the Mississippi River.

Both registered Republicans and Democrats were polled and all participants live close to the river.

Dave Metz, president of the polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, said overall Latinos are concerned about pollution in the Mississippi, with 83% of them describing it as a national treasure and more than 50% of those polled said they feel it is threatened and it is their responsibility to care for it.

"We also see among Latino voters -- regularly -- stronger support for conservation proposals," Metz reported. "Stronger support for policy proposals designed to promote public health by reducing pollution."

The Mississippi River passes through all the states where the study was conducted. Among those surveyed, 74% said they are very or extremely concerned with the presence of pollution in all the country's rivers, lakes and streams.

The survey also found Latinos feel Congress should do more to protect and clean up the Mississippi River, ensuring the protection of water, air and wildlife, instead of producing more domestic energy through oil and gas drilling or mining.

Metz said 87% of those surveyed support the 30-by-30 goal of conserving 30% of America's lands, freshwater and oceans by 2030.

"Latinos express higher degrees of concern about air and water pollution -- and pollution on land as well -- than what we see among the rest of the population," Metz pointed out. "One reason for this obviously are environmental justice concerns. Many Latinos within the United States live in communities that are disproportionally burdened by sources of pollution."

Those polled said they would back legislation to provide funding to prevent the worst impacts of flooding, incentives for farmers to use sustainable practices and improve soil health and potential policies to create new national parks, monuments or wildlife refuges to protect areas for outdoor recreation.


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A federal agency is requiring Wyoming to update cost estimates for a large proposed dam in Carbon County, which has been under feasibility studies since 2008.

The West Fork Battle Creek Dam, proposed in the Medicine Bow National Forest, would be 700 feet long, about 25 stories tall and would create a 130-acre reservoir. The dam would provide late-season irrigation water to Wyoming and Colorado landowners at a projected cost of $80 million, according to a 2017 estimate.

Gary Wockner, co-founder and executive director of the advocacy group Save the Colorado, thinks it will cost about four times the estimate, partly due to its remote location.

"It'll be hard to get to, it'll be extremely difficult to engineer and build," Wockner contended. "In fact, it's so large and controversial, we believe that permitting and potential court challenges could cost $20 million to $30 million, alone."

The proposal requires a land swap between the U.S. Forest Service and the state, a trade state lawmakers in 2018 allocated nearly $5 million to investigate. The U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service, the federal agency responsible for granting permits, told the State of Wyoming Water Development Office to update the cost estimate for the dam. So far, the analysis itself has cost $1.5 million.

The estimate is a vital part of the cost-benefit analysis and determines who will fund the dam. The National Environmental Policy Act requires both an analysis of the proposed plan and several alternative plans, Wockner pointed out.

"Then, you pick what's called the 'least environmentally damaging practicable alternative,'" Wockner added. "You have to have a reasonable cost estimate in order to do the entire NEPA analysis correctly."

In 2023 scoping comments on the project, Wockner argued the analysis should include an estimate of greenhouse gases the project would emit, and effects on the already over-allocated Colorado River.


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Iowa is getting federal help to eliminate lead water pipes in the state.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working with local water agencies, planning where to prioritize funds.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, cities and towns in Iowa are reducing the number of dangerous lead water lines.

The Iowa Environmental Council's Director of Climate Initiatives Cody Smith said even homes built as recently as 1988 are connected to the local water utility with lead lines - which leaves people at risk, even in Iowa's big cities like Des Moines and Council Bluffs.

"Particularly with the most vulnerable groups, such as unborn babies or young children, they have extreme and outsize risk related to exposure to lead through lead service lines," said Smith. "That can cause higher levels of lead in the blood and lead to developmental issues for children."

The State's Revolving Fund, which is the primary source for water infrastructure updates, has received more than $620 million as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The IEC says more than 700 communities have benefited so far.

Beyond replacing lead pipes and updating water system infrastructure, Smith said Iowa could also benefit from help with what are known as non-point source projects.

"Which is runoff from agricultural fields and from livestock operations that lead to nutrient pollution in source water," said Smith. "And source water is water that's used for drinking water somewhere in the state."

Smith said those strategies can help farmers and local utilities reduce nitrates and other pollutants in the soil.

The Biden administration has a goal of replacing all lead water service lines in the U.S. by 2031.




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