News Releases

Committee makes progress on Missouri River Management plan

Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee
Published Nov. 6, 2014
Missouri River Recovery Program

Missouri River Recovery Program

The Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC) met in La Vista, Neb. November 4–6. At this, its 27th meeting, the committee had extensive discussions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and an Independent Science Advisory Panel (ISAP) regarding population targets for the three listed species on the Missouri River, the least tern, piping plover and pallid sturgeon. These targets will be used in deciding on management strategies to be employed and are critical for measuring the overall success of the Missouri River Recovery Management Plan. The committee also discussed how metrics used as proxies for various river uses will assist in evaluating these strategies.

The committee deliberations were informed by a team of scientists working on the life history of the three endangered species and developing models that will predict the response of the species to various changes in water management and habitat development. These models are being reviewed by the ISAP to assure technical accuracy. The models will help inform development of the alternatives for the Corps’ Missouri River Recovery Program Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement.

The Committee recommended maintaining Dr. Michael Mac as the Chair, serving his third term, and appointed Jim Becic of Omaha, Neb., as the Vice Chair for calendar year 2015.

MRRIC is a 70-member committee that comprises stakeholders and representatives of Tribal, state and federal governments throughout the Missouri River Basin. This committee provides recommendations to federal agencies on the current and future activities of the MRRP. The committee makes its substantive recommendations by consensus.

The committee meets quarterly at different locations throughout the Missouri River Basin. The next MRRIC meeting will be February 24–26th in the greater Kansas City area. For more information on MRRIC, please contact Dr. Michael Mac, Committee Chair, at mrric@usace.army.mil. Information about the Missouri River recovery efforts is available online at https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/mrrp/mrric/ and https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/MRRP/.

About MRRIC

MRRIC was authorized by Congress in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act and was established in 2008 by the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). Its duties include providing recommendations to the Secretary of the Army and other Federal agencies, State and Tribal governments on efforts to recover Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species, mitigate habitat loss, and restore the ecosystem to protect other native species. MRRIC is supported by the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution and RESOLVE, an independent dispute resolution non-profit organization, and Federal agency staff.


Contact
info@MRRIC.org

Release no. 20141106-002