River Updates
July 1, 2013
July 10 - Big Muddy Speaker Series - Kansas City 2013
The WaterOne Missouri River Intake during the flood of 1993.
"Water One's Extreme Climate Challenges - Our Utility's Experience with Drought and Floods in the Missouri River Basin"
presentation by Tom Schrempp, P.E., Director of Production for WaterOne
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
6 p.m. Social Hour
7 p.m. Presentation
at Hickok's Grill
528 Walnut St. - Kansas City, MO (in the River Market District)
Click here to download flier (pdf)
According to the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources, over half of Missourians acquire their drinking water from the Missouri River. The Missouri River is widely regarded as an reliably high quality source of water. But we all know that the river isn't always the most cooperative partner. Issues like drought, flooding, bed degradation and contamination all effect the reliability of our water supply.
Tom Schrempp, Director of Production for WaterOne, Johnson County's water supply district, will share the process of turning the Big Muddy into tapwater, and how these river issues impact their ability to do that. Looking ahead, he'll describe how the water supply industry is planning for impacts on water due to current and predicted climate changes.
July 1, 2013
July 9 - Big Muddy Speaker Series - Rocheport 2013
"Intersex Sturgeon on the Missouri River? - the effects of emerging contaminants on a big river"
presentation by - Diana Papoulias, PhD, Research Fish Biologist - US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
7 p.m. presentation
lower floor of the Les Bourgeois Vineyards Bistro
in Rocheport, MO (directions below)
Presentation is FREE and open to the public! Come early to purchase a great dinner upstairs at the Bistro!
In 2000, research fish biologist Diana Papoulias began documenting an uptick in previously rare cases of intersex shovelnose sturgeon. These Missouri River fish were developing both male and female reproductive organs.
Those fish were shovelnose sturgeon, which are considered a valid experimental surrogate for the federally endangered pallid sturgeon. Diana's discovery began more than a decade of research into this phenomena, focusing on finding the chemical and environmental causes that are present in Missouri River water that might be effecting the reproduction of the pallid.
This research has been ongoing during a period when a lot of research into "emerging contaminants" in our water supply has shown disturbing effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Diana will describe the reproductive effects they've documented in fish, what is known about the chemical contaminants in the Missouri River, and the pathways for how these chemicals are causing such dramatic changes in fish.
This dissection of an intersex sturgeon shows both male and female reproductive tissue. photo courtesy of Diana Papoulias, USGS.
June 6, 2013
June 12 - Big Muddy Speaker Series - Kansas City 2013
"Too much water, not enough water - Balancing the 8 'Authorized Purposes' of the Missouri River"
presentation by Larry O'Donnell, Healthy Rivers Partnership, Little Blue River Watershed Coalition & Missouri River Relief
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
6 p.m. Social Hour
7 p.m. Presentation
at Hickok's Grill
528 Walnut St. - Kansas City, MO (in the River Market District)
Recently four U.S. Representatives from Missouri proposed that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers remove "Fish and Wildlife" as Authorized Purposes for the management of the Missouri River. There are currently 8 Authorized Purposes representing different uses and stakeholders along the river: Navigation, Flood Control, Irrigation, Fish & Wildlife, Water Supply, Water Quality, Recreation and Hydropower.
What are the ways that these different uses conflict with each other? Why would certain stakeholders want to remove certain official uses of the river and what would that mean for the future of habitat restoration on the Missouri River? How does giving away "surplus water" for fracking in North Dakota fit into this?
Larry O'Donnell will share his perspectives on these and other questions regarding the politics of Missouri River management.
June 5, 2013
June 12 - Big Muddy Speaker Series - St. Charles 2013
"Location, Location, Location -
How Missouri River geography shapes restoration and management options"
presentation by Robert Jacobson, PhD, Chief of River Studies Branch, US Geological Survey
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
4:30 p.m. Free Paddle trip with Big Muddy Adventures!
6. p.m. Meet at Big A's Restaurant
6:30 p.m. Presentation
At Big A's Restaurant
308 N Main St. - St Charles, MO
(directions below)
PLUS! Special opportunity for a free paddle before the presentation with Big Muddy Adventures! See below for details.
The past three years of extreme flooding followed by extreme drought followed by flooding in the Missouri River basin highlights the difficulties in managing and restoring this massive river system. Every decision made in Missouri River management seems to have repercussions that affect other uses or stakeholders along the river.
The Missouri River basin ranges over 23 degrees of longitude and 12 degrees of latitude, and in its breadth it encompasses tremendous physiographic, climatic, ecologic, and socio-economic diversity from the snowpack of the Rockies to the arid plains of the Dakotas to the moist river hills of the Ozarks' northern edge.
This diversity promotes challenges to restoration and management. One size of policy does not fit well in all parts of the river. Robert Jacobson, PhD, chief of River Studies for the US Geological Survey, will provide an overview of the environmental geography of the Missouri River and an analysis of how the very location of the river effects restoration and management options along the mainstem from Montana to Missouri.
April 29, 2013
May 8 - Big Muddy Speaker Series - St. Charles 2013
"Taming the Wild Muddy
A History of Change on the Missouri River"
Presented by author and historian Jim Denny
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
4:30 p.m. Free Paddle trip with Big Muddy Adventures!
6. p.m. Meet at Big A's Restaurant
6:30 p.m. Presentation
At Big A's Restaurant
308 N Main St. - St Charles, MO
(directions below)
PLUS! Special opportunity for a free paddle before the presentation with Big Muddy Adventures! See below for details.
As America explored, settled and learned to live with the Missouri River, it also forever changed the nature of this wild, western river. In one of the Big Muddy Speaker Series' most popular presentations, author Jim Denny uses historical journals of early river travellers, including Lewis and Clark, to conjure up the essence of the natural Missouri River.
(painting by Gary Lucy of Washington, MO. Check out more of Gary's historical river art at his gallery website: www.garylucy.com)
The Missouri River as the first American explorers encountered it was a fickle, floody and dangerous place. Moving sandbars, collapsing banks and minefields of snags and debris made navigation on the river incredibly difficult. It was also a haven for wildlife, an everchanging creater and destroyer of a rich tapestry of habitat.
Looking at today's channelized river, it's tough to visualize the character of that wild river. Jim does a great job of digging into past accounts of the river, especially journals from the Lewis and Clark Expeditions, to describe both its untamed power and its sublime beauty and bounty. His descriptions of how the Army Corps of Engineers tamed the Big Muddy make it clear just what an amazing feat it was to control the Missouri River. (photo above: crews in 1929 stabilizing the banks with mats woven from willows. The willow mats would then get covered with rock laid by hand)
Announcements
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2020 Schedule
The 2020 schedule is here! As we get closer to the dates you will find links to full web pages detailing our events here.
There are many changes to our schedule as we adjust to the reality of COVID-19 spread. For the latest updates on our policy and schedule changes, please visit this page.
Missouri River Information Packets
Ready to Download Now!
The Missouri River is home to fascinating creatures, as well as many issues. In these packets, a broad range of information is introduced and discussed; from the giants who dwell in the depths, to the consequences of the interaction between cities and the Missouri River.
Equipment Wish List
There are many ways that you or your organization can support the great work we do along the Missouri River. In addition to becoming a sponsor, giving through your workplace, or lending your volunteer muscle, Missouri River Relief kindly accepts in-kind donations of food and river clean-up supplies such as tools, gadgets and gear. Make sure to check out our full equipment wish list here.
In Memoriam
We are honored to have received charitable donations in memory of and in honor of the following friends of Missouri River Relief. You can always contact us or donate online for gifts in memoriam.
Enjoy the Big Muddy Speaker Series each month in three cities!
The Big Muddy Speaker Series has its own website! A one stop shop for statewide Missouri River knowledge. www.bigmuddyspeakers.org
The monthly series is held in three locations, Rocheport , Kansas City and St. Charles. The free presentations bring in experts to discuss Missouri River issues, biology, hydrology, history and more.
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