Projects--Clean Water and Floodplain Protection

Missouri River Floodplains in St. Peters

Flood damages in the United States now approach $6 billion annually. The National Flood Insurance Program is essentially bankrupt—$18 billion in debt to the US Treasury. More and larger levees are increasing the frequency and severity of flooding. Great Rivers believes that the position taken by the Association of State Flood Plain Managers—that “levees should not be used as a means to allow the development of currently undeveloped flood prone land,”—is sound public policy. The City of St. Peters is the latest community in our region to build a massive levee in order to develop the floodplain. Great Rivers is working to ensure that this new levee poses no adverse impact to St. Peters’ neighbors.

The battle over the proposed 1,000-year "super-levee" has been won, at least until the Army Corps of Engineer submits new plans for this levee. In May, 2007, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri ruled that the Environmental Assessment prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the proposed levee is defective, as the Corps failed to consider cumulative impacts. Read More (May 24, 2007)

This victory did not come about easily. There were two prior court rulings on the issue of standing. Victory in the Eighth Circuit April 4, 2006! Court Reinstates Challenge to 1,000-Year Levee Proposed for Jefferson City, Missouri.

With the Help of Great Rivers, Citizens Appeal Plan to Expand Milam Landfill in Illinois onto Land Containing Native American Artifacts. (March 14, 2007) Read More

Great Rivers Files Comments Concerning the North Dakota Red River Valley Water Supply Project.

For more on the topic of water fights within the United States, see the book by Great Rivers board member Ken Midkiff, Not a Drop to Drink, America's Water Crisis (And What You Can Do), in which Midkiff discusses battles raging across the United States over decreasing water supplies.

Notice of Intent to Sue U.S. EPA Letter Sent April 4, 2006. Missouri Department of Natural Resources Failed to Submit Mandatory 303(d) List of Impaired Waters in Missouri by Due Date of April 3, 2006.