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It was disclosed during the announcement that the corps plans to meet again with federal wildlife experts and officials to discuss the not-yet-released river operation plan's impact on the interpreted needs of the Missouri River's federally declared endangered species. 

Corps spokesman Paul Johnston of Omaha said that the latest delay is based on "pragmatic policy". The agency is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine proper and equitable management policies to meet endangered species requirements. "It's kind of the logical thing to do, to find a preferred alternative that they find acceptable," Johnston said of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "We're going to talk about how we can come up with a plan that adequately addresses the needs of the listed species." News of the consultation angered - but did not surprise - environmental groups and those from upriver states. Johnston couldn't guess a time when the preferred alternative might be announced as completed. Corps and Fish and Wildlife Service officials began meeting on the issue in Denver on Thursday, June 13th, he said. Adding that it's unclear how long the corps' talks with the wildlife service would take. He said it is possible that a new river plan won't be ready by next spring, the deadline the wildlife service had given the corps to begin river-flow changes. 

"Right now, there are no deadlines," Johnston said. 

In a letter to the corps made public this week, a regional director of the Fish and Wildlife Service indicated a willing desire to "consider whether there are means other than those already described in our (earlier) opinion that would adequately address the conservation needs of these listed species, provided that they are based upon the best available scientific and commercial data." The letter also appeared to signal some willingness by the service to back off on its spring 2003 deadline for changes on the river. 

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota remarked, "It is shocking that after 12 years and millions of dollars spent on countless scientific studies, the corps continues to abdicate its responsibility to manage the river." 

Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, who has used his Appropriations Committee position for years to block any changes, stated, "there is a lot at stake with this decision, and if that takes extra time, then extra time should be taken." 

The long-awaited revised river operations plan is supposed to change the way river water supplies are managed in order to benefit the lifestyle and propagation of the pre-historic Pallid Sturgeon fish as well as the Piping Plover and Least Tern birds. The corp's proposed Missouri River water management revisions are expected to reflect some degree of lawful compliance with the mandates of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, a law created to enforce responsible preservation of plants and animals deemed "Endangered" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's research and consulting processes. Rewriting management policies for corps' Master Water Control Manual has taken nearly 13 years. Since early spring,  the agency has promised to deliver a preferred alternative for revision of the manual by the end of May. 

It could be that the disclosure and implementation delay reflects the unpredictable status of the corp's current water management dilemma. It's entirely possible the long-awaited proposal won't be made public for weeks or even months and could mean it won't be in place by next year as planned. As usual, the predictable crop of corps critics blasted the latest in a series of delays announced by the institution Thursday. 

A representative of the downstream navigation industry, which is constantly at odds over river management with recreation and wildlife interests in South Dakota, agreed with the notion suggested by a Lake Oahe marina owner that the latest delay is driven by political interests.

Outspoken representative of all those who ply the lower Missouri River byways, Sioux City riverboat captain Bill Beacom said the latest delay by the corps has more to do with politics and the Bush administration's interest in helping Republican candidates than it does with endangered species. "My opinion is that the election is five months off, and we've got people who'd like to see Republicans elected in South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana," Beacom said, "And they don't want anything from the corps that could make the Republicans look bad. It's just a game." 

The rewrite of river management policies under the corps' Master Water Control Manual has been under way for nearly 13 years. For months, the agency had promised to deliver a preferred alternative for revision of the manual by the end of May. 

The sudden announcement to delay public presentment of the revised Master Manual may actually be of no surprise, given the present state of affairs the corps has found itself in this year. Because of the wide spread Upper Missouri River tributary basin drought conditions that currently exist, the corp's has found itself dancing with too many partners. The corps has done a good job trying to please everyone. How about recognizing the dynamic redistribution of upper Missouri River main stem reservoir pool volume, thereby preserving northern state's endeared Walleye fishing and recreational boating revenues, to keeping the gates open enough at Gavins Point to provide at least minimum navigation channel status on the lower Missouri River sustaining annual year-to-date barge shipping quotas. Not to mention the happy recreational boaters and marina operators. The Corps of Engineers has one helluva unenviable job to do trying to satisfy everyone with NO WATER SUPPLY.