The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld an earlier court decision in favor of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ plan for management of the Missouri River. The plan calls for Summer water levels to be kept high enough for barge shipping. Environmental and recreation industry groups in Montana and the Dakotas are against the plan, saying a more seasonal Spring rise and lower Summer flows are needed to protect endangered fish and birds. Farming and shipping interests in Missouri and elsewhere downstream oppose the Spring rise, saying it will cause flooding in the Spring and bring Summer shipping to a halt.
