Text: SCR00005 Text: SCR00007 Text: SCR00000 - SCR00099 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
1 3 A Concurrent Resolution objecting to a plan proposed by
1 4 the United States Corps of Engineers to dramatically
1 5 alter the operation of the Missouri River, and to request
1 6 that the current operation of the river be maintained or
1 7 that an alternative plan be considered that does not
1 8 negatively impact upon the effective operation of the river.
1 9 WHEREAS, the Missouri River is a major waterway of
1 10 the United States, bordering the entire western side
1 11 of the state of Iowa for more than 200 miles; and
1 12 WHEREAS, the average volume of water that flows
1 13 past the cities of Omaha, Nebraska, and Council
1 14 Bluffs, Iowa, equals 32,120 cubic feet per second
1 15 which is equivalent to approximately 23 million acre-
1 16 feet per year; and
1 17 WHEREAS, the drainage area above Omaha, Nebraska,
1 18 and Council Bluffs, Iowa, equals 232,000 square miles;
1 19 and
1 20 WHEREAS, Iowa is one of the nation's preeminent
1 21 agricultural states, and consistently one of the
1 22 leading states in both corn and soybean production;
1 23 and
1 24 WHEREAS, Iowa and other upper midwestern states
1 25 bordering the Missouri River represent a major grain-
1 26 producing region of the United States; and
1 27 WHEREAS, the Missouri River is used to transport a
1 28 significant proportion of the region's grain bound for
1 29 export markets; and
1 30 WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
2 1 has completed a draft environmental impact statement,
2 2 containing findings embodied in a United States Army
2 3 Corps of Engineers study referred to as the Missouri
2 4 River Master Water Control Manual Review and Update;
2 5 and
2 6 WHEREAS, the draft version of the environmental
2 7 impact statement analyzes a new method of operation
2 8 for the Missouri River system which will result in an
2 9 additional flow of water in the spring, shorter
2 10 navigation seasons, and further reductions in service
2 11 to navigation; and
2 12 WHEREAS, the rising river level in the spring as
2 13 contemplated in the plan proposed by the United States
2 14 Army Corps of Engineers will increase risks to land
2 15 along the river by causing additional flooding,
2 16 increasing groundwater tables, and reducing the
2 17 effectiveness of drainage systems, including the
2 18 effectiveness of gate valves along the river designed
2 19 to facilitate drainage; and
2 20 WHEREAS, the Missouri River contributes between 40
2 21 and 50 percent of the water flow to the Mississippi
2 22 River south of the rivers' confluence, between St.
2 23 Louis, Missouri, and Cairo, Illinois; and
2 24 WHEREAS, the loss of water flow could reduce levels
2 25 at the Port of St. Louis by two to five feet, creating
2 26 significant increases in the cost of transporting
2 27 grain exports throughout the middle Mississippi during
2 28 peak shipping seasons; and
2 29 WHEREAS, the barge share of grain movements to
2 30 export ports increased from 43 percent in 1974 to 54
3 1 percent in 1991 and most of this barge grain traffic
3 2 is on the Mississippi River system; and
3 3 WHEREAS, reductions in support to navigation and
3 4 the lack of water flowing into the river during dry or
3 5 drought periods will reduce the commercial value of
3 6 the Missouri River to an extent that the continued
3 7 existence of vital barge traffic on the river will be
3 8 jeopardized; NOW THEREFORE,
3 9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF
3 10 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the plan proposed by
3 11 the United States Corps of Engineers to dramatically
3 12 alter the operation of the Missouri River threatens
3 13 land neighboring the river and the vitality of
3 14 navigation on the river which is essential to
3 15 commerce; and
3 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the United States Army
3 17 Corps of Engineers is urged to reevaluate its proposal
3 18 and maintain the current operation of the river or
3 19 consider an alternative plan that does not negatively
3 20 impact upon Iowa and other states bordering the
3 21 Missouri River; and
3 22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That if the plan proposed
3 23 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers is
3 24 adopted administratively, that the Iowa congressional
3 25 delegation cooperate to take all actions necessary to
3 26 ensure that moneys are not made available for the
3 27 proposal's implementation; and
3 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 29 resolution be sent to the President of the United
3 30 States; the Chief of Engineers, United States Army
4 1 Corps of Engineers; the Missouri River Division
4 2 Commander, United States Army Corps of Engineers; the
4 3 President of the United States Senate; the Speaker of
4 4 the United States House of Representatives; and
4 5 members of Iowa's congressional delegation.
4 6 LSB 1627SV 76
4 7 da/jj/8
Text: SCR00005 Text: SCR00007 Text: SCR00000 - SCR00099 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
Iowa General Assembly
Search: Senate Bills and Amendments (76th General Assembly)
© 1996 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments? webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Last update: Mon Mar 4 09:39:45 CST 1996
URL: /DOCS/GA/76GA/Legislation/SCR/00000/SCR00006/950224.html
jhf