NewsMissouri River Expeditions LLC operates on two stretches of the Missouri River.Designated by Congress as a "Wild and Scenic River" under the American Rivers Act of 1978, the last free-flowing reaches of the majestic Missouri have been named The Missouri National Recreation River (MNRR.) The first 39 mile stretch reaches from Ft. Randall Dam to Running Water, SD. The last 59 mile stretch runs from Gavins Point Dam to Ponca State Park. Let MRE create the perfect trip for you and yours, or join us on a 1, 2, or 3-day expedition. For more information go to www.nps.gov/mnrr Our Endangered River Drawing its waters from a half million square miles, the Missouri River is the lifeblood of the central U.S. At one time, the "Big Muddy" sprawled across vast prairies, pulsating beyond its banks 300 feet during a single rise, shifting and depositing huge loads of nutrient-rich silt across the floodplain, sometimes relocating itself by a half mile in one year. These natural fluctuations created a rich variety of shallow- and deep-water breeding and feeding grounds-a complex web of life-that supported unique plants, fish, migrating birds and other animals.Our efforts in this century to tame the unpredictable river have transformed the Missouri into a highly engineered, constrained system. Animals like the sicklefin and sturgeon chub-tiny fish near the beginning of the river's food chain-are suffering from dramatic modifications to the river. The Big Muddy isn't as muddy as it used to be. Dams and rock-lined banks have reduced sediment in the river, lifting the muddy shroud that once helped hide the chubs from predators. The construction of 1,400 miles of levees has eliminated shallow, slow-moving side channels the fish need to feed, hide and reproduce. The chubs' main food source-aquatic insects living among woody debris and vegetation-has become scarce. Because the river has been severed from its floodplain, sufficient trees and leaves no longer routinely wash into the river, and the destruction of side channels and islands has eliminated places where debris collects. Due to the channelization that supports barge traffic, today's Missouri flows twice as fast as the river Lewis and Clark knew, forcing the chubs to use more energy just to stay in one place. The Missouri has been deemed one of the nation's "most endangered" rivers by American Rivers, a leading national river conservation organization. The group ranks rivers throughout the U.S. that are threatened by development, dams, pollution and other problems. The sicklefin and sturgeon chub are not the only fish species suffering from the impacts of habitat degradation. Pallid sturgeon, paddlefish, sauger, blue sucker, flathead catfish, longnose gar, blue catfish, flathead chub, speckled chub and silver chub are other species struggling to survive in the radically altered-and endangered-Missouri River. To learn more, write American Rivers, 1025 Vermont Ave. NW, Suite 720, Washington D.C., 20005; or visit their website at http://www.amrivers.org Ford Bluebird MRE purchased a 1983 Ford Bluebird bus this year. It is a work in progress but it is a lot of fun. It will be up and running by the kayaking season. You have got to check this thing out! Not for the faint of ears.4- 12 inch subwoofers keep sleepy paddlers awake as they lounge on one of many couches or recliners on this 47 passenger MRE-shuttle. News LinksThe Missouri River Storyhttp://infolink.cr.usgs.gov/The_River/Master Manual-USACEhttp://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/mmanual/mast-man.htmBald Eagle removed from endangered listhttp://www.r6.fws.gov/pressrel/99-36.htmFor more river linkshttp://infolink.cr.usgs.gov/Science/Missouri River Institue - USDhttp://www.usd.edu/mri/Lewis & Clark Lake DredgingA $2.5 million dollar dredging project to create three sandbars will begin later this month on Lewis and Clark Lake.The Corps of Engineers says the 175-acre island complex will be a haven for wildlife and benefit the flow of the Missouri River by redirecting sediment and sand. Officials hope the new sandbars near Springfield will be attractive to threatened and endangered birds like the least tern and piping plover.
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