Politicians, other groups weigh in on Missouri River dispute

Politicians and political action groups are weighing in on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plan to stop an annual man-made "spring rise" on the Missouri River.

A news release from the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River sent out today says "Missouri River stakeholders were outraged" with the decision.

The corps had planned to spring rise to help the pallid sturgeon spawn.

Earlier today Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, serving as acting governor while Gov. Matt Blunt is in China on a trade mission, praised the decision in a news release.

Kinder and other Missouri officials, including U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, heaped criticism on the "spring rise" this year, saying it would increase flooding in Missouri, which was wracked by floods last week.

Kinder included the following statement in a morning news release today: "Missourians who would have been affected by the possibility of additional flooding along the Missouri River can now breathe a sigh of relief. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers notified me last night they were granting my request to cancel their decision of a planned spring rise. I would like to thank the Corps for this action and responding to my concerns. I have sent my thanks to Larry Cieslik, Chief of the Missouri River Water Management office, for the Corps decision and actively responding to the concerns of citizens here in Missouri."

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democratic candidate for governor, had filed a lawsuit against the corps' proposed action earlier this week. Nixon welcomed the news of the spring rise's demise in a news release, saying the corps felt "intense presssure after facing our lawsuit this week ..."