Civil Works Director To Discuss Flood Management
On September 30, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Bloomington, Minn., Corps of Engineers Civil Works Director James Dalton will join the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMRBA) in discussing their shared commitment to improving management of floods, sediment, and low water/drought affecting the navigation channel.
In an announcement, UMRBA said, “Together, UMRBA and the Corps believe that solutions reside in our ability to work together and make decisions for today and the future. We are committed to providing an effective forum for affected interests to learn from one another and seek opportunities to collaborate.”
The agenda and information for joining in-person and remotely will be provided on UMRBA’s website at http://umrba.org/umrs-floodplain-resilience-plan.htm.
Immediately following, UMRBA and the Corps will host a working session to prioritize known opportunities (high-leverage actions that enjoy regional consent) as well as more complex questions and issues needing further exploration or deliberation.
This session will be held through noon on October 1 and will serve as a kick-off meeting for teams being formed. The teams will include representation of the relevant constituencies, but all who attend the September 30 session are welcome to participate.
Throughout the summer, UMRBA and the Corps hosted local conversations about reducing the risks of flooding, maintaining the navigation channel, managing river sediment, and preparing for a future long-term drought. The two groups asked participants to share how the river has impacted them and to talk with their neighbors and other community members about how we can all work together better to address these issues.
“These meetings were different from many other public meetings, and overall were very well received by those who participated,” said UMRBA in a statement. “The people who came to the events set the agenda and led the discussions.”
In total, six meetings were held along the stretch of the Mississippi River from Winona, Minn., to Cape Girardeau, Mo. Some common observations in the meetings were that the river is behaving differently today, that the status quo is not sustainable, and that various constituent groups need to work together to find solutions that will be acceptable to the river’s various users.
The conversation summaries are available on UMRBA’s website at http://umrba.org/umrs-floodplain-resilience-plan.htm.
For further information, please contact UMRBA Executive Director Kirsten Wallace at 651-224-2880 or kwallace@umrba.org.
