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by Denny Banister
I wonder, would the decision makers in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) continue to release more water down the Missouri River during the flood season if they were forced to live in the flood plains themselves?
In spite of the recent floods, and more rain in the forecast, the Corps created a two-day artificial spring rise on the Missouri River last week to hopefully improve spawning for the pallid sturgeon, an endangered species; "hopefully" because USFWS does not know if it will help – it is an experiment.
Apparently, USFWS thinks the pallid sturgeon does not get a rise out of Mother Nature’s way of doing things, and needs government agencies to provide artificial stimulation in the form of more water during the flood season for the fish to breed. Even though the Corps is now trying to soften the impact of their actions, the fact USFWS and the Corps continued with their scheme shows their priority, and it is not the people of Missouri.
The Corps feels their release of water is unlikely to cause any damage, and if they are right they will no doubt claim this action as proof the artificial rise does not endanger farmers and others who live along, and depend upon, the Missouri River.
The artificial spring rise only serves as proof to those who feel government has lost touch with reality. Whether the case or not, the actions of the Corps and USFWS are aloof, disrespectful of the will of Congress, and show total disregard for the farmers and other "little people" their actions threaten.
As I write this, my niece and her husband are trying to salvage family photos, clothes and other belongings that were underwater as a result of Mother Nature’s spring rise in the Meramec River flood plain in Missouri. All this makes me wonder, who do the regulators at these federal agencies really work for?