River Relief

November 28, 2011

Dec. 7 Big Muddy Speaker Series in Kansas City

"The Big Muddy Refuge - Habitat Restoration on the Missouri River"

presentation by Tim Haller, Ranger for the Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge

(note: our location has changed for this month's presentation. The Big Muddy Speaker Series is now located at Hickok's Grill)

The Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge was formed in the wake of the massive destruction of the floods of 1993 and 1995. Property owners along the river were able to sell their properties to the federal government at market value and the US Fish & Wildlife Service began "passive" management of the growing patchwork of river bottomlands for fish and wildlife habitat.

Tim Haller, ranger for the entire Big Muddy Refuge, will join us to describe the growth of this "string of pearls" along the Missouri River.

Wednesday, Dec. 7, 7 p.m.
At  Hickok's Grill
528 Walnut St. - Kansas City, MO (in the River Market),
(816) 472-0161
(directions below)

Please support our partner by coming early for dinner and drinks at this great local establishment! Happy Hour till 7:00

Click here for flier (pdf)

The pre-development Missouri River represented one of North America's most diverse ecosystems with abundant braided channels, riparian lands, chutes, sloughs, islands, sandbars, and backwater areas. These riverine and floodplain habitats were created and maintained by erosion and deposition which continuously reshaped the channel and floodplain.

Channelization shortened the river 72 miles, resulting in a loss of 127 miles of river shoreline habitat. Aquatic habitat was lost as 168,000 acres of sediment accreted behind the wing dikes, forming new land. Nearly 354,000 acres of meander belt habitat were lost to urban and agricultural floodplain development.

The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was created in 1994, for the development, advancement, management, conservation and protection of fish and wildlife resources and is authorized to include 60,000 acres of habitat restoration along the 367 miles of the Missouri River from Kansas City to St. Louis.

(photo above - Tim Haller shows an Eldon High School student how to measure a turtle at the Overton North Unit of the Big Muddy. photo by Steve Schnarr)

for more info on presentation, contact Larry O'Donnell at turttle5@aol.com

Directions

From Kansas City, Kansas:

• Take I-70 into Missouri.
  
• Take exit 2D towards Main St.
• Merge onto W. 6th St.
• Turn left onto Walnut St. Hickok's Grill will be on your left.

From the East:

• Take I-70 into downtown Kansas City.
  
• Take exit 2F toward Grand St./Walnut St./Oak St.
  
• Keep left at the fork and merge onto E Independence Ave.
• Turn right onto Walnut St. Hickok's Grill will be on your left.