Missouri River states ask feds to move nests of endangered bird

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In a rare show of unity, a group representing all Missouri River basin states has asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider relocating the nests of endangered birds in order to meet desired water levels this summer.

The Fish and Wildlife Service rejected a similar proposal last year, when low summer water levels forced a suspension of commercial navigation on the Missouri River.

At issue is a proposal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to vary the release of water from upstream dams to maintain the minimum levels needed for downstream navigation throughout the summer.

The proposal likely would mean smaller water releases in the spring, when the river traditionally has sufficient water, and larger water releases as summer progresses and tributaries start drying up.

The corps planned a similar approach last year. But it was scuttled when the Fish and Wildlife Service refused to allow the relocation of eggs belonging to the piping plovers and interior least terns, which had built nests close to the water's edge just south of the Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota.

The least tern is a small, gull-like bird listed on the federal endangered species list. Piping plovers are listed as threatened. About 730 adult piping plovers and more than 1,100 adult least terns have been counted along the Missouri River.

Raising the river last July -- without relocating the bird nests -- might have swamped 270 eggs or chicks. And the chicks could have had trouble surviving a relocation, the Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Halted barge traffic

The result was that barge traffic came to a halt on the river from July 20 until after Aug. 14. Officials in Missouri have estimated a $7 million loss from farmers unable to ship grain and hotel barges that canceled excursions.

Often, the navigation and flood control interests of Missouri and other downstream states clash with the recreational interests of upstream states, where dams on the Missouri River have created popular lakes.

But facing an extended drought, the states have united through the Missouri River Basin Coalition to pressure the Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider its policy in order to conserve water.

Officials at various regional offices for the Fish and Wildlife Service did not return telephone messages Friday.

Barring a policy change by the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to adopt a policy by the end of this month that would result in a steady release of water from the dams.

The river states say that could unnecessarily deplete lake levels.

The corps said Friday that water levels already are 16 feet below normal at Lake Oahe in South Dakota, 14 feet below normal at Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota and 19 feet below normal at Fort Peck Lake in Montana.

Additionally, mountain snow is estimated to be 58 percent to 74 percent below normal, meaning low water levels are likely to continue, the states' coalition said in a letter to Fish and Wildlife director Steven Williams.