Army Corps proposes flooding study on lower Missouri River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to conduct a long-term study of flood risk in the lower Missouri River basin. The idea comes after the Corps received many formal letters of intent from officials in states along the river who intend to help partially fund what would be about a $400,000 project. A DTN story says landowners across the basin watched helplessly as their livelihoods were washed away in last spring’s intense weather. People living in the lower Missouri River basin continued to see high water levels long after the floodwaters had receded. The lower basin consists of a 735-mile expanse, where flooding has been a significant problem for years. The Corps says it has submitted a budget request for the flood risk management study for the fiscal year 2020 and is now awaiting funding approval. The study would be a place to start in developing plans along the lower Missouri River corridor to improve flood protection and include recommendations for actions at specific problem areas. The governors of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas all signed a memorandum of agreement to pool state resources to help address continuing flood concerns. In total, the flooding disaster in 2019 caused billions of dollars in damages across the lower Missouri River basin.