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than 500 people crowded into a meeting room at a Council Bluffs
hotel on Tuesday night to express their opinion on proposed river
flow changes. The majority of the people who attended the last
public hearing held by the U.S. Corps of Engineers oppose any
changes that would alter the flow of the Missouri River by
increasing the release levels in the Spring than dropping those
levels drastically during the Summer months.
The corps released a
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS) in August and
has been holding public hearings on the subject ever since. (See
RDEIS PDF DOC-1
and DOC-2
online Adobe
Acrobat manuals)
Tuesday's meeting was definitely the largest and was attended by
both Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan
along with many other elected public officials and their
representatives.
Mayor Fahey expressed
concern about the economic affects these changes would have,
particularly on Omaha's Riverfront Development. Millions and
potentially billions will be spent over the next few years
developing what he calls 'Omaha's New Front Door'. He said "A
vibrant and flowing Missouri River is an important part of
it". He also discussed what lowering the river during the
summer would do to recreational boaters, marinas, and planned docks
along the river for a new riverside restaurant. The mayors opinion
is that we must find a middle ground.
 Mayor
Hanafan is most concerned about the higher water levels in the
spring. The nine pump stations located in Council Bluffs could
potentially shut down, limiting the city's ability to drain
rainwater. As a result, many Bluffs homes could be flooded. Quality
of life is also at stake here as 100% of their water comes from the
river.
Mayor Wanda Rosenbaugh of
Carter Lake was represented by Barbara Piper who brought to the
floor several concerns for their community. There are many
high-value properties located on the oxbow lake that receives its
water directly from the river.
These residents fear there could be extensive property damage if
the Missouri was allowed to rise above its banks.
With the exception of a
few people who attended the Tuesday night hearing, the overall
opinion is that altering the river flows to aid a few endangered
species would have severe economic consequences on the rest of us
who live, work and enjoy the river as it is today. 
The corps will continue to
accept comments on this subject until February 28th, 2002. You may
submit your statement to them at:
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