Bill Cottrell Recognized by Legislature; Plans to Attempt Missouri River Canoe Trip for 70th Birthday

Worth County grad Bill Cottrell has had a love of canoeing from shortly after he graduated from Missouri and got his first teaching job, at Farmington (IA). It was there that he took 15 kids on a trip and discovered a passion for canoeing. He has made plenty of canoeing trips since then.

Cottrell was a graduate with the Class of 1971. His favorite Bull Reece story growing up was during one year, when he wanted to go out for track, but couldn’t come to practice because of farming chores. So Bull Reece made a deal with him – if he ran to school along the roads, which were five miles away from Grant City, then he could still do track. He ran the 3200 for Worth County and the Bull would needle him, asking him if he could pick up the pace just a little bit from the pace he ran to school with. If the Bull was not happy with him, he would mispronounce his name on purpose, which would really get his attention. “I had nothing but respect for him,” said Cottrell.

Bill graduated from the University of Missouri, got his first job out of school at Farmington, and taught there until 1978. He returned to Worth County, where he had an opportunity to start farming and he substitute taught at Worth County under Doyle Bounds. After the farm crisis hit, he got back into teaching and went to Scotland County, where he taught Agricultural Education from 1984 to 2006, when he retired.

Mr. Cottrell said that his goal was to provide kids with opportunities to succeed in agriculture. He said his greatest accomplishment was seeing his two sons get their American FFA Degrees. The family tradition continues, as his grandson recently went to State FFA as a freshman. He was also involved in Boy Scouts, and one of his sons became an Eagle Scout. He has two sons and five grandchildren.

He always had time to do canoeing, and one time took a group of 18 boy scouts canoeing. He has built two canoes; one of them wasn’t big enough, so he built one bigger.

For Bill, who has always been a workaholic, work was not over when he retired from teaching, and he took a job at Christiansen Farms, a hog farm, and later Seaboard Farms when they bought Christiansen out. His job was to ensure that the hogs did not get contagious diseases. 

He said the biggest change was the willingness of kids to challenge themselves, which he said had gotten worse from the time he started to the time he finished teaching. He said it was not as bad in the rural schools.

For his accomplishments, State Rep. Mazzie Boyd successfully got a resolution passed in the Missouri House honoring him for his accomplishments. He plans to take a canoe trip down the Missouri River, starting on May 17th, for his 70th birthday. He plans to camp out all the way and make the entire 2,400 mile trip from Three Forks to St. Louis. Only seven to eight people do it successfully each year. The estimated time needed to make the trip is around 90 days. 

Cut to the Chase -- Eden along the Missouri

The Garden of Eden, in my mind, has always looked something like a cornfield in late June. Just before tasseling, when the corn is at its darkest green, perhaps even blue, and if you listen really close, you can almost hear it grow. Perhaps it is a field along the Missouri River, where the rows run long and straight.
To others, the Garden of Eden is a Missouri River that meanders from bluff to bluff, surrounded by land untouched by human hands. Those contrasting visions clashed in Jefferson City on June 11th, at a meeting of the Missouri Clean Water Commission (MCWC), and the decision that group makes will move us closer to one vision or the other.
In 2007, the Commission stopped the U.S. Corps of Engineers from dumping soil into the Missouri River. The Corps was digging a chute along the river near Jameson Island to help create what the Corps calls Shallow Water Habitat. In theory, the establishment of these areas will increase the population of the endangered pallid sturgeon.
The Commission stopped the project because the Corps was dumping the soil removed from the chute into the river. The Commission is charged with protecting the waters of Missouri from the sort of discharges that the Corps was making, and the Commission was correct in their decision to put a halt to the project.
The river finished the job that the Corps had started, and a chute is in place. There is no evidence that the chute is increasing the population of pallid sturgeon, the stated aim of the project. Not only that, waters moving through the chute are causing damage to a levee on the other side of the river. The chute cannot remain in its present position, as it will eventually cause the levee to fail. The question that the Commission must decide is what will be done with the soil removed from the redirected chute. Missouri Farm Bureau has asked that the soil not be dumped in the river, while the Corps would prefer to allow one million cubic yards of soil to enter the river.
Missouri taxpayers and the federal government are spending millions of dollars to fight soil erosion in order to protect the Missouri River, the Mississippi Basin, and the Gulf of Mexico from the damage done by excess nutrients flowing into the river. Farmers all across our state work hard to prevent erosion. That conservation ethic is something of which we farmers are proud. It’s extremely difficult for us to understand a project that will negate so much hard work and expense by the farmers and the taxpayers of this state and nation. If the Corps is allowed to dump the soil into the river, it is hard to see a net benefit to the environment. Most groups favoring the project would argue excess nutrients are causing damage to the Gulf of Mexico, yet they favor allowing the Corps to dump a million cubic yards of nutrient rich soil into waters leading directly to the Gulf.
By the time this project is complete, the taxpayers will have spent over $100,000 per acre to recreate some people’s version of Eden. If the Corps is allowed to complete their long-term recovery plan, which includes similar projects all along the river, the total bill will be billions of dollars. Let’s spend some time thinking about how we spend our nation’s dwindling resources before we continue building a multi-billion dollar monument to the pallid sturgeon. This fish stimulus package is a non-starter, and it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
The public comment period on this issue ends June 30. Please send your written comments favoring alternative 3 to the MCWC and Corps at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, Mo., 65102.

(Blake Hurst, of Westboro, Mo., is the president of Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.)

Missouri Farm Bureau Opposes Soil Dumping into the Missouri River

At a joint public hearing on June 11, 2012, Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB) President Blake Hurst testified before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Missouri Clean Water Commission (MCWC) concerning the Corps’ request for a water quality permit from the MCWC for modifications to the Jameson Island Chute located within the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to rectify problems with the chute’s current alignment.

“You have a critical decision to make; your actions will not affect just Jameson Island but also the construction of future chutes in Missouri,” Hurst said. “You are setting a precedent that goes beyond the box you’ve been put in today.”

In 2007, the Corps halted shallow water habitat (SWH) construction to allow for an independent scientific review of sediment management in response to concerns expressed by the MCWC.  The Corps is now seeking to resume SWH restoration efforts in Missouri. 

To correct the current alignment of the Jameson Island Chute, the Corps’ preferred alternative would involve constructing a new 6000-foot chute, excavated to 100 feet wide.  When the project is complete, approximately one million cubic yards of soil will have been pumped, or “integrated through natural river processes,” into the Missouri River bedload.

MFB opposes the dumping, or designed erosion of soil, into the Missouri River by the Corps and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with the construction of chutes along the river.  The chutes, or shallow water ditches, are designed to increase habitat for the endangered pallid sturgeon.

“Our organization has serious reservations about the effectiveness of the chutes. There is not a consensus within the scientific community that they enhance the pallid sturgeon population.  This is simply an expensive experiment that contradicts common sense,” Hurst said. “At what point do we ask ourselves if the $4 million cost of this project modification is justified?  Or is the $3 billion cost of the Missouri River Recovery Program so important that every American should contribute $9.50?  The chutes do not stimulate fish nor should we be shouldered with a fish stimulus package.”

In addition to construction costs, Hurst expressed concern with ongoing maintenance costs. “How can we support the construction of new chutes when the Bank Stabilization and Navigation Program is underfunded on an annual basis?  And, can maintenance funds be assured given the uncertainty of the annual federal appropriations process?”

MFB advocates closing the existing chute at the top end and eliminating any further work on the project; however, in the absence of this choice, Hurst urged the MCWC to approve Alternative 3, which ensures the soil is side cast and not pumped into the Missouri River.

MFB led efforts to gather enough signatures to place the Soil and Water tax on the statewide ballot in 1984.  The 1/10 cent sales tax was approved in 1988, 1996 and more than 70 percent of voters supported the measure in 2006. An estimated 148 million tons of soil have been saved since its inception.

On May 22, the Natural Resources Conservation Service issued a press release stating the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its partners plan to invest $32 million in Mississippi River Basin water quality and wetlands projects.   The money, to be spent this year in financial and technical assistance, “will prevent sediment and nutrients from entering waterways, decrease flooding and improve bird and fish habitat.”

“There is a pattern here,’ Hurst said. “Federal and state government, landowners and even taxpayers are taking steps to reduce sediment loadings, while this project will intentionally increase them.  It is impossible to justify adding, or integrating through natural river processes, approximately one million cubic yards of soil to the Missouri River from this project.”

The public comment period on this issue will close on June 30, 2012. Send written comments on the project to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, Missouri  65102. 

Opinion: U.S. House Forges Ahead to End Wasteful Spending, Reduce Recovery Program Funding and Fund Ongoing Flood Repairs

By the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River

The U.S. House of Representatives reaffirmed its desire to prohibit funding of the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study (MRAPS) and the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan (MRERP) for yet another year this week.  In addition, they voted 242-168 to reduce funding for the Missouri River Recovery Program (MRRP) from its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 level of $71 million to a FY13 level of $50 million.

“The House has again seen the need to eliminate wasteful, duplicative and largely ineffective spending,” stated Randy Asbury, executive director of the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River (CPR). 

“It’s encouraging when our Congressional representatives have the foresight and courage to lead the way toward fiscal responsibility.

“We are grateful to Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO) for leading the efforts regarding MRAPS and MRERP and to Congressman Sam Graves (MO) for his efforts to reduce the MRRP funding.

“In addition, our hat goes off to Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO) for his work to increase flood assistance funding by $3 million to continue to address the aftermath of the 2011 flood event.”

The MRAPS study was designed to enhance the economic and recreation benefits of a few upper Missouri River interests at the expense of broader interests in both the Missouri and Mississippi River basins.  It came on the heels of a comprehensive 17-year, $35 million study that made significant changes to the Missouri River Master Manual. 

The MRERP study was authorized to determine actions required to mitigate losses of aquatic and terrestrial habitat; recover federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); and restore the ecosystem to prevent further declines among other native species.

The study became singularly focused on restoring the ecosystem using a reference condition of pre-Lewis and Clark.  For this reason, it had many economic interests in its crosshairs because of their perceived “stress” on the historic ecosystem.

The MRERP study would likely result in river management for the next thirty to fifty years that would be in direct conflict with some current authorized purposes and environmentally-friendly economic interests.

MRRP appropriations have totaled over $600 million since 1992. Federal agencies have historically maintained compliance with ESA mandates under funding levels similar to those approved by the House this week.  Therefore, the reduced level should not impede ongoing Biological Opinion/ESA efforts. MRRP effectiveness begs the question for the ongoing need for extravagant appropriation levels for the species recovery benefits accrued to date.

In addition, Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project infrastructure continues to decline due to the out of balance attention given the environmental versus social, cultural and economic values of the Missouri River Basin.  Stakeholders believe greater funding attention is needed to correct and repair channel maintenance and bank erosion issues.

Gov. Nixon commits to rebuilding Missouri River levees

During a visit to St. Joseph this afternoon, Gov. Jay Nixon said his administration is committed to helping rebuild levees along the Missouri River that have been damaged by record flooding this year. The Governor also announced that he will attend a meeting with upstream governors on flood-control issues scheduled to take place this Friday in Omaha.

“Over the past several months, historic releases of water from upstream reservoirs have placed unprecedented pressure and stress on levees across Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said. “These levees protect communities, vital infrastructure and some of the most productive farmland in the world. As the water falls over the coming weeks and months, we must complete an accurate assessment of the damage and move quickly to repair, rebuild and strengthen our levees.”

Gov. Nixon has announced his intention to call a special session of the Missouri General Assembly in September to take up a number of vital measures to create jobs, grow the economy and move Missouri forward. One of the session’s key priorities will be to develop a plan to pay for necessary repairs and rebuilding along hundreds of miles of damaged levees across Missouri and to support disaster recovery in other parts of the state.

Also today, Gov. Nixon announced that on Friday, he will join the governors of upstream Missouri River states for the meeting on flood control.

“The state of Missouri’s position on river management is clear: Flood control must be the top priority,” Gov. Nixon said. “I’m looking forward to this opportunity to emphasize that priority with my fellow governors from the upstream states.”

Gov. Nixon and the other governors also will have the opportunity to question Brigadier Gen. John R. McMahon, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers northwest district, about the decisions and factors that led to this historic flood.

Gov. Nixon made his announcement today at the Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph, where on June 2, he advised Missourians to prepare for imminent flooding. At that time, the Governor reported that all six major reservoirs along the upper Missouri River were at capacity, and that additional rainfall and snowmelt within the watershed would worsen the situation.

On June 8, Gov. Nixon ordered the Missouri National Guard to serve as the state’s lead agency on flood preparedness and fighting. In response to this order, the Guard deployed hundreds of Citizen-Soldiers to fill and place sandbags, inspect levees and support local efforts. Citizen-Soldiers continue to perform security and traffic patrols in northwest Missouri.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now releasing 150,000 cubic feet per second from the Gavins Point Dam, and will continue to release this rate through Aug. 18. Beginning Aug. 18, flows will decrease by 5,000 cubic feet per second per day until they reach the rate of 90,000 cubic feet per second. Today’s release rate is still more than twice the previous record.

McCaskill Presses Corps to Stop Sending Letters Seeking Land Purchases

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is working to stop poorly timed letters that the Army Corps is sending to landowners impacted by the record flooding. These letters, intended to gauge landowners’ interest in selling all or part of their land to the federal government for the purposes of fish and wildlife habitat restoration, have been sent despite the fact that residents along the Missouri River basin have been struggling to fight historic flooding for the past several weeks.

The issue was widely discussed during McCaskill’s visit to flooded areas in Northwest Missouri this past weekend. In a letter to Brigadier General John McMahon, Commander and Division Engineer of the Northwestern Division of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), McCaskill calls for the Corps to stop issuing letters to landowners during this extraordinary event.

McCaskill further stressed that this is a trying time for many communities and residents along the river’s reach, and it’s improper for the Corps to issue such letters when those affected continue to work around the clock trying to prevent the loss of their livelihoods.

Four New Roads Closed Due to Missouri River Flooding

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced that the following roads have been closed or impacted due to flooding (changes are in bold):

ATCHISON COUNTY:

• Route V - Closed near the Iowa state line.
• Interstate 29- Closed to all traffic (northbound) at mile marker 110. Traffic is being diverted at Exit 110 to U.S. 136.
• U.S. 275- Closed near Hamburg, IA.
• Route 111 - Closed from Route Z in Atchison County to the town of Craig in Holt County.
• U.S. 136 - Closed west of I-29. This blocks access to the Missouri River Bridge at Brownville.
• Route D- Closed between Route A and U.S. 136
• Route U - Closed between U.S. 136 and County Road 280.
• Route E - Closed between Route U and MO 111.
• Route A - Closed between County Road 175 and Route B.
• Route BB - Closed between County Road B Ave. and Route A.

HOLT COUNTY:

• U.S. 159 - Closed from Route P to the Nebraska state line. This blocks access to the Missouri River Bridge at Rulo. Recommended detour: U.S. 36 at St. Joseph.
• Route 111 - Closed from Route 118 to U.S. 159.
• Route W - Closed from I-29 to Route 111.
• Route 111 - Closed from the junction of Route 111 & 118 to the City of Craig.
• Route 118 - Closed from MO 111 to Route P
• Route P - Closed from MO 118 to MO 159

For more information about this or other projects being handled by MoDOT, please call our toll-free customer service hotline at: 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (1-888-275-6636).

Missouri Guardsmen volunteer to fight flood

Throughout northwest Missouri it’s common to stumble upon people helping people during this time of distress. Not because they have to, but because they want to lend a hand. Two Citizen-Soldiers with the Missouri Army National Guard on flood duty are doing just that.

Sgt. Clint Bain, of Blythdale, and Spc. David Baker, of Albany, volunteered to be a part of the flood fight.

“We usually volunteer every time,” said Bain. “That’s just part of the Guard duty.”

These Soldiers have been working a security detail at Big Lake, Mo., this week, posted at checkpoints around the area. Though this is their first flood duty with the National Guard, they both have served in other state emergency situations, including the blizzard that hit Missouri earlier this year.

“That’s what we signed up to do,” said Baker. “I know if it were my Family that was in a disaster, we’d hope and pray somebody would come to our aid.”

“I joined to protect my Family and Families that live around me,” said Bain. “That’s part of our duty to come out here and help out as much as we can.”

The Citizen-Soldiers drill with Battery A, 1-129th Field Artillery in Albany. Bain and Baker, along with other fellow artillerymen, are working in Holt County supporting local authorities, such as the sheriff’s department.

While on mission, Soldiers are in constant communication with the Tactical Operations Center in Maryville, calling in reports every hour.

Bain has served in the National Guard for five years. He is a correctional officer at Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron.

Baker has served three years in the National Guard and also farms row crop and raises cattle in Albany.

The Missouri National Guard is mobilized under the authority of Gov. Jay Nixon and reports to local civil authorities. The Missouri National Guard will remain on duty until released by the Governor and local civil authorities.

Brad Lager Vice Chair of Disaster Recovery Committee

Thousands of Missouri families, residents and businesses that have been impacted by a number of natural disasters across the state will soon confront less red tape based on the work assigned to the Senate Interim Committee on Natural Disaster Recovery. Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, created the committee to examine what actions the Legislature should take in order to best assist Missouri residents and local governments as they recover and rebuild.

“Thousands of Missouri families have been in harm’s way this year because of natural disasters, and for many more, their way of living has been threatened,” Mayer said. “As lawmakers, it is our job to make sure government is helpful, rather than a burden, in the rebuilding process. That is why I created this interim committee to look at all aspects of recovery and the role government should play.”

Missourians across the state have been plagued recently by both natural and man-made disasters:

§ Dec. 31, 2010: Storms and tornadoes struck nine Missouri counties (Carter, Christian, Dent, Franklin, Phelps, Polk, St. Louis, Stone, Webster) and the city of St. Louis killing five people.

§ Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2011: A blizzard brings record snow to 44 counties, triggering a State of Emergency.

§ April 22: Tornadoes in the St. Louis metropolitan area destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes and led to the temporary closing of the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

§ April 19-27: Heavy rainfall leads to levee breaches and flash flooding in the counties of Barry, Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Christian, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Lawrence, Madison, Maries, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Washington, Wayne, Webster and Wright. Poplar Bluff’s flood receives national attention while hundreds of homes and businesses are damaged across the state.

§ May 2: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers chose to blow open the levy at Bird’s Point opening the Bird’s Point-New Madrid floodway on the Mississippi River in Southeast Missouri, ultimately flooding more than 100 homes and 130,000 acres of prime farmland, with some still under water today.

§ May 22: A F5 tornado tore through Joplin, killing 154 people and destroying more than 8,000 homes and businesses in Jasper and Newton counties.

§ May 25: A tornado struck Sedalia causing damage to area homes and businesses, and injuring 25 people.

§ June 15–present: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began releasing a record 150,000 cubic feet per second of water from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota triggering flooding along the Missouri River, expected to remain through summer.

Mayer named Sen. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, as chairman and Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, as vice chairman. Mayer said both senators represent districts that have been and are currently being tragically impacted by a tornado and flooding, respectively. Mayer said Richard and Lager are committed to making sure Missourians do not have to battle government in their efforts to recover and rebuild.

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NATURAL DISASTER INTERIM COMMITTEE

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The Senate Interim Committee on Natural Disaster Recovery is comprised of three subcommittees charged with focusing on specific areas of response and recovery. Those subcommittees are: Emergency Response, Fiscal Response and Insurance Response. Each subcommittee will work with the appropriate administrative agencies in order to make preliminary reports to the committee’s chairman before the annual veto session held Sept. 14.

Other senators named to the committee include (listed by subcommittee):

Emergency Response – Sen. Mike Kehoe (chairman), R-Jefferson City; Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit; Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington; Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles; Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City; and Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City.

Fiscal Response – Sen. Kurt Schaeffer (chairman), R-Columbia; Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown; Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla; Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis; Sen. Tim Green, D-Spanish Lake; and Sen. Kiki Curls, D-Kansas City.

Insurance Response – Sen. Mike Parson (chairman), R-Bolivar; Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville; Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa; Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield; Senate Minority Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence; and Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City.

To learn more about the interim committees announced this week, visit www.senate.mo.gov.

Big Lake receives security support from Missouri Army National Guard

The Missouri Army National Guard continues to support flood missions in northwest Missouri and has added a security presence at Big Lake. A small contingency of Citizen-Soldiers are providing round-the-clock checkpoint security in the village assisting the Holt Co. Sheriff Dept.

The eight Soldiers are part of Task Force 110, led by Col. Greg Mason. The task force is providing flood relief efforts along the Missouri River starting with Atchison Co. in the northwest corner, down to Cooper Co. in the center of the state.

The troops on this mission serve with the 1-129th Field Artillery headquartered in Maryville. A tactical operations center is also set up in the Maryville armory providing support to area flood missions.

Another eight-man team, also with the 1-129th Field Artillery, remains on duty in Atchison Co. providing presence patrols in coordination with the Atchison Co. Sheriff Dept.

The Missouri National Guard encourages safety at all levels. Citizens should be are aware of surrounding conditions before movement.

The Missouri National Guard is mobilized under the authority of Gov. Jay Nixon and reports to local civil authorities. They will remain on duty until released by the Governor.

Brad Lager Calls for Senate Hearings on Corps Releases

State Senator Brad Lager today called for Senate hearings after touring the flood damage and hearing from constituents who stand to lose their homes and businesses due to record flooding being caused by releases from dams upstream.

“If anyone else purposefully destroyed property and businesses like this they would be put in jail,” said Lager. “Where is the President? Why is no one being held accountable for continued mismanagement of the river?”

Lager is the Chairman of the Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and Environment Committee which oversees the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. While the Committee does not have jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lager said that his Committee could shine the light on mismanagement of the river and the need for a better plan for Missouri.

“The Corps mission should be to prevent floods, not delay them,” said Lager. “I’m not sure what difference the Corps is making if all they do is hold water and then create floods downstream. We need a better plan than simply throwing our hands up in the air and releasing record amounts of water.”

Lager said he hopes to hold hearings later this summer or in the fall.

Missouri DOT Closing Roads from Missouri River Flooding

Atchison County:
Route V near the Iowa state line is now underwater and closed to all traffic. Interstate 29 is narrowed to one northbound lane at the Missouri 123 mile markernorth to the .9 mile marker in Iowa. The northbound driving lane is closed to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to place sandbags along the shoulder. The northbound passing lane will remain open to traffic at this time. For more information about this or other projects being handled by MoDOT, please call our toll-free customer service hotline at: 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (1-888-275-6636).

More Road Closings Announced from Missouri River Flooding

The Missouri Department of Transportation is sharing the following information on behalf of the Iowa DOT.
AMES, Iowa - June 13, 2011; 3 p.m. - The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is reporting that it will be closing the Interstate 29/680 interchange near Loveland at 6 p.m. today.
This will result in closures being placed at the following locations.
· I-680 west- and eastbound from milepost 21 near Beebeetown (Pottawattamie/Harrison County Road L-34) to the I-29/680 interchange (milepost 71 near Loveland).
· I-29 south- and northbound lanes from the I-29/680 interchange to the I-29/U.S. 30 interchange (milepost 75 near Missouri Valley).
Local and I-29 regional corridor traffic (Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota)
· Follow the posted local detours or call the Iowa DOT's flood hotline at 1-866-452-8510 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for personal traveler assistance.
· After hours, call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (out of state) for a recorded message of closed roads.
· View the flooded Iowa roads map for road closures, detours and areas at risk of flooding - http://iowadot.purlsmail.com/sendlink.asp?HitID=1307996054739&StID=25681&SID=0&NID=535406&EmID=125870465&Link=aHR0cDovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tLzNvMm10bHA%3D&token=56058b62f4642af14db4506bf24c3824fea5c8b9
National interstate travelers
For interstate travelers planning to use I-29 simply to travel through Iowa, the Iowa DOT suggests selection of an interstate route that avoids the flood-warned area along the Missouri River corridor entirely. Travelers can utilize any of the other interstate routes that remain available.
Interstate routes not expected to be impacted by flood waters:
· I-80 from east to west across the entire state
· I-35 from north to south across the entire state
· I-235 in Des Moines metro area
· I-380 from Iowa City to Waterloo
· I-74 and I-280 in the Quad Cities
· I-480 bridge between Council Bluffs and Omaha
I-29 remains vulnerable to additional closures due to the flooding. After the I-29/680 interchange is closed, I-29 will be closed from milepost 55 in Council Bluffs to milepost 75 near Missouri Valley.
Key traveler information resources:
· Iowa DOT's flood information call center 866-452-8510, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, speak to an operator for travel assistance
· Road condition information 24 hours a day: visit http://iowadot.purlsmail.com/sendlink.asp?HitID=1307996054739&StID=25681&SID=0&NID=535406&EmID=125870465&Link=aHR0cDovL2lvd2Fkb3QucHVybHNtYWlsLmNvbS9zZW5kbGluay5hc3A/SGl0SUQ9MTMwNzg5ODM3OTMwMSZTdElEPTI1NjgxJlNJRD0wJk5JRD01MzUzMDAmRW1JRD05MDU2MDQ3Jkxpbms9YUhSMGNEb3ZMM2QzZHk0MU1URnBZUzV2Y21jdiZ0b2tlbj1lMDgxODZlZDNlNDFlYzIzZWE0MGUyNDkyYTZiM2U5Mjk3NjYzNzJi&token=56058b62f4642af14db4506bf24c3824fea5c8b9, or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (outside of the state) for a recorded message of road closures
· Iowa DOT on Twitter- http://iowadot.purlsmail.com/sendlink.asp?HitID=1307996054739&StID=25681&SID=0&NID=535406&EmID=125870465&Link=aHR0cDovL2lvd2Fkb3QucHVybHNtYWlsLmNvbS9zZW5kbGluay5hc3A/SGl0SUQ9MTMwNzg5ODM3OTMwMSZTdElEPTI1NjgxJlNJRD0wJk5JRD01MzUzMDAmRW1JRD05MDU2MDQ3Jkxpbms9YUhSMGNEb3ZMM1IzYVhSMFpYSXVZMjl0THlNaEwybHZkMkZrYjNRdiZ0b2tlbj1lMDgxODZlZDNlNDFlYzIzZWE0MGUyNDkyYTZiM2U5Mjk3NjYzNzJi&token=56058b62f4642af14db4506bf24c3824fea5c8b9
· View the flooded Iowa roads map for road closures, detours and areas at risk of flooding - http://iowadot.purlsmail.com/sendlink.asp?HitID=1307996054739&StID=25681&SID=0&NID=535406&EmID=125870465&Link=aHR0cDovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tLzNvMm10bHA%3D&token=56058b62f4642af14db4506bf24c3824fea5c8b9
Media contact: Dena Gray-Fisher, 515-239-1922 or dena.grayfisher@dot.iowa.gov

KCP&L Prepares for Missouri River Flooding

KCP&L has been closely monitoring rising Missouri River levels and has taken proactive steps to protect its employees, customers and electrical infrastructure from potential flooding. KCP&L’s preparedness efforts include:
Continuous coordination with local, state and federal emergency management agencies.
Protecting facilities near the river by building concrete-block walls and sandbagging.
Staging replacement equipment, like backup transformers, near potential flood zones if needed.
Helicopter patrols of transmission line infrastructure near the river to ensure floating debris remains clear of power poles.
“KCP&L knows it takes the entire community to get ready for an event like this and we are doing our part,” said Terry Bassham, President and COO of KCP&L. “We are taking every possible step to ensure the reliability of power plants and electrical system while keeping the safety of our customers and employees foremost in our preparations.”
KCP&L customers living and working in areas that may flood also should take steps to prepare and stay safe. KCP&L’s intent is to take every reasonable step to avoid interrupting service to customers in and around flood areas. However, the safety of our customers and employees is our first priority. KCP&L will make efforts, as it is feasible, notify customers in affected areas when rising water indicates a potential hazard or when local or state officials mandate service disconnections. Customers also should watch for information from their local officials.
Electrical current travels through water. Therefore, flooding can create specific electrical safety concerns. Anyone in a flooded area should exercise extra caution.
If your home is still dry and you are evacuating, turn off power at the breaker and unplug appliances before you leave. It’s also a good idea to move appliances to the highest floor of your home, but only if you have time.
Stay away from power lines and pad-mounted transformers (typically green electrical boxes) in flooded areas.
Do not walk in standing water or venture into areas of debris; energized and dangerous power lines may not be visible.
Do not ride watercraft near power poles and power lines, as they too can be energized and deadly.
For status updates and more information about KCP&L’s preparation, visit www.kcpl.com/flood.

Imminent Missouri River flooding increases the need for awareness and preparedness, Gov. Nixon says

As the water levels continue to rise in the Upper Missouri River basin at record levels, Gov. Jay Nixon announces the State is ramping up its coordination efforts to prepare for additional flooding disaster issues, specifically along the Missouri River.
Heavy snowmelt, snow pack that has yet to melt and rainfall from Montana through South Dakota has left reservoirs along the Missouri River at unprecedented levels and increases the potential for flooding issues to arise below Gavins Point.
"Six major reservoirs along the Missouri River compose the largest flood control reservoir system on Earth," Gov. Nixon said. "All six of these massive reservoirs are full at this time. Missourians will be facing imminent flooding along the Missouri River and additional rainfall and snowmelt within the watershed will only worsen the situation. The State of Missouri is fully engaged in this issue and is taking necessary action to prepare for these flood waters."
The State of Missouri including the Missouri National Guard, the State Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Natural Resources are engaged and coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Weather Service and other federal and state agencies, as well as local officials on proactive response measures.
"I urge all citizens to pay attention to your local county emergency officials. Citizens with property and businesses in the Missouri River floodplain should prepare to respond to unprecedented high water levels," Gov. Nixon added.
Additional preparedness information is available on the web at mo.gov.

Graves Asks Corps to Slow Down Releases

U.S. Congressman Sam Graves has asked the Corps of Engineers to slow down their plans to release record amounts of water from upstream dams later this month. In a phone call Tuesday evening to Brigadier General John McMahon, Graves expressed his concern that the water being released upstream will likely result in significant flooding in Missouri.

“Everyone understands that the Corps has to release water,” said Graves. “However, the volume set to come downstream right now will amount to a man-made natural disaster. I want to find out if there is any extra capacity that can be used upstream.”

The problem began last year with record snowfall and was made worse this spring by heavy rains in the upper basin. By mid-June, record flows on the Missouri are projected to increase to about 150,000 cubic feet per second. The amount of water in the Missouri River will likely top several levees throughout Missouri. Graves said he wants the Corps to take a second look at all their options.

“The answer is not to simply release more water and create larger floods downstream,” said Graves. “The impact on farmers and landowners all along the Missouri is going to be tremendous if they carry out this plan. I am urging the Corps to hold as much water as possible upstream.”

Graves did not get an immediate answer from the Corps on whether they will reexamine the situation.