1. Missouri River Master Manual Review & Update
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Northwestern Division
Missouri River Master Manual Review & Update
Preferred Alternative Briefing
12 January 2000

2. Issues to be Addressed Background
Criteria/Impacts for Preferred Alternative (PA)
Tribal Issues
Collaborative Ecosystem Management/Recovery Committee
Public Involvement Plan
Schedule

3. Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project
Missouri River Main Stem Reservoir System
Economic Uses
Flood Control
Irrigation
Hydropower
Navigation
Recreation
M&I Water Supply
Water Quality
Fort Peck
North
Dakota
Garrison
Montana
South
Dakota
Oahe
Big Bend
Wyoming
Fort Randall
Environmental
Resources
Riverine Fish
(Including Pallid Sturgeon)
Reservoir Fish
Terns & Plovers
Wetlands Habitat
Riparian Habitat
Historic Properties
Gavins Point
Iowa
Page 3 -There are 6 mainstem dams on the Missouri River with 90% of the storage in the upper 3 reservoirs (Ft. Peck, Garrison, Oahe). The lower 3 dams are re-reg dams. The Bank Stabilization & Navigation Project extends from Sioux City, Iowa to the mouth at St. Louis, Missouri.
Our challenge in the Master Manual Review and Update Study is to balance the economic uses for which the projects were originally authorized, with the environmental resources of the Basin.
Nebraska
Colorado
Kansas
Missouri
Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project

4. Missouri River Main Stem Storage Allocations
MAF
73.4
Exclusive Flood Control MAF
68.7
Annual Flood Control and Multiple Use MAF
57.1
Minimum During
Recent Drought
40.9 MAF
December 1990
Carryover Multiple Use MAF
Page 4 - Composite diagram representing all of the reservoirs reflects the Current Water Control Plan (CWCP). Total storage capacity is 73.4 Million-Acre Feet (MAF). The Missouri River reservoir system has the largest capacity of any reservoir system in the U.S. The system was designed for a drought such as the 1930's.
Reservoirs are generally broken into four zones:
Permanent Pool - Minimum necessary for a fishery and for efficient operation of the hydropower units on the dams
Carryover Multiple Use Zone- The bank account we withdraw from during times of drought
Annual Flood Control and Multiple Use Zone- Need to be at the base of this zone (about 57.1 MAF) by March 1 of each year in order to capture the inflows from the mountain and plains snowmelt.
Exclusive Flood Control Zone - We don't want to be here. In 1997 when inflows were greater than 200% of normal, we were in the exclusive zone. Basically, we are just passing flows when we are here.
Master Manual Review was prompted by the drought of the late 80's. The Corps pulled the Carryover Multiple Use Zone down to 40.9 MAF. The impact of this on the upper lakes was significant (lost recreation). Near the end of the drought navigation on the lower river was also impacted. It had been over 30 years since the original master manual (before all of the dams were even completed). The Basin was concerned that current operations did not reflect the contemporary needs of the Basin and asked the Corps to undertake the review. Also, at the time of the original Manual there was little environmental awareness and no Endangered Species Act (ESA).
In 1994, the Corps published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which identified a preferred alternative. The alternative was not well received. The Corps went back to the drawing board and did additional alternatives analyses and technical studies. In 1998 the Corps published a Preliminary Revised Draft EIS which presented 8 alternatives (none of them the silver bullet), which we believe represented the full range of interests in the Basin. After release of that document we held 16 workshops throughout the Basin. This document and process were outside of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and were for the sole purposes of educating the Basin as to system operation and to foster on-going Basin efforts directed toward building consensus on a flow management alternative.
18.1
Permanent Pool -
18.1 MAF

5. Operational Criteria for Preferred Alternative

6. Comparison of the Economic & Environmental Benefits of the Preferred Alternative (% Change from the Current Water Control Plan) -1 -1 1 4 2 3 -8 2 43 1 -2 -3

7. Tribal Issues Tribal Input & Consultation Corps Tribal Recommendations
Continue Government to Government consultation on flow related issues through the ROD
Support Tribal representation on Recovery Committee
Support monitoring of Tribal resources in the Collaborative Ecosystem Management Process
Identify mitigation measures for the operational impacts on cultural resources
Page 9 - There are 28 Tribes in the Missouri River Basin. In addition to working with the Mni Sose's Water Rights Coalition the Corps has offered government-to-government consultation with all of the Basin Tribes and is currently in consultation with several of the Tribes. The MRBA alternative is the only alternative submitted that includes recommendations for the Tribes. Because of the Corps Trust responsibility with the Tribes, any alternative proposed by the Corps would likely include additional recommendations.

8. Collaborative Ecosystem Management Strategy
Collaborative Ecosystem Management (CEM) already in place
PA includes continuation of CEM
CEM encompasses broad scope of environmental issues on the Missouri River
Page 10- Self Explanatory- The most critical component of an PA the Corps may select. We are working very hard with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and all Basin interests to establish how adaptive management and a recovery committee will function.

9. Recovery Committee (RC)
PA announces intent to facilitate/lead RC
Process & structure for CEM
RC advisory in nature
Involves stakeholders
Results oriented (proactive)
Best way to ensure we preclude jeopardy
Page 11- Self-Explanatory

10. Collaborative Ecosystem Management Strategy
Consensus
Implementation
Recovery Committee
Data Collection
Subcommittees
Page 12 - Self-Explanatory.
Dynamic List of
Recovery Measures
Evaluate Data

11. Public Involvement Plan
Press Release - Outline PA
Newsletters
Video and CD
Workshops
Public Hearings
Web Site
Page 13 - Extensive Public Involvement will continue. We are planning 16 workshops and 16 public hearings from Glasgow, MT to New Orleans, LA) following release of the RDEIS in March of 2000.

12. Missouri River Master Manual Review & Update Current Approved Schedule
Preliminary Revised Draft EIS (PRDEIS) - August 1998
PRDEIS Tribal & Public Coordination Period - January 1999
Revised Draft EIS (RDEIS) - March 2000
RDEIS Tribal & Public Comment Period - September 2000
Final EIS - June 2001
Washington Level Review - December 2001
Record of Decision (ROD) - February 2002
Revise Master Manual - February 2002
Develop AOP - December 2002
Implement Selected Plan - March 2003
Page 14 - Current schedule approved by HQUSACE.

13. Master Manual Logo
Here