Boat access on drought-plagued Missouri may be problematic

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Getting a fishing boat or a pontoon on the Missouri River System in North Dakota this summer could be tricky due to low water levels amid prolonged drought. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts spring runoff to be well below normal for the upper Missouri River Basin. Runoff in February was less than expected, and the agency expects the trend to continue in coming months. Work during previous droughts dating to the 1980s has resulted in a system of low-water ramps. But officials need to find the money to get them operational.