Judge orders lower flow on Missouri, affecting barges
U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler, in Washington, D.C., has ordered the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to more fully consider environmental issues before deciding flow levels on the Missouri River.
Under federal law, the Corps cannot jeopardize endangered wildlife. Environmental groups have pressed the Corps to require low water flows in the summer. Kessler’s injunction prevents the Corps from implementing any plan that lacks lower flows.
Low water levels adversely affect barge traffic on the Missouri River, and are expected to have economic consequences in the states of Nebraska and Missouri.