News Releases for May 2002
May 17, 2002
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Hoeven, Stenehjem Announce Stipulated Agreement with Army Corps on Missouri River
BISMARCK, N.D. - Governor John Hoeven and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem today announced that the State of North Dakota and the Army Corps of Engineers have arrived at an agreement worked out Wednesday by Hoeven and Govs. Bill Janklow of South Dakota and Mike Johanns of Nebraska. The plan calls for the Corps to maintain the current water level in Lake Sakakawea until May 25 to protect the state’s smelt hatch, an important nutrient for walleye and other sports fish.
North Dakota and the Corps filed a stipulated agreement late today that renders unnecessary a hearing in the North Dakota Federal District Court next week. The Corps had intended to explain to the court at the hearing Monday why it should not be bound by a temporary restraining order handed down on May 12th.
“We’re pleased that the Corps has agreed to the principles worked out by the governors this week,” Hoeven said. “In the short-term, the Corps has agreed to maintain Sakakawea at a level sufficient to protect our smelt hatch for our fishermen, but we still have work to do on the larger, long-range issue of how the Corps manages the Missouri to protect upper basin recreational, economic and environmental interests.”
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said, “This settlement should assure sportsmen a bountiful fishing season this year. But in the long-term, the Army Corps of Engineers must complete the revision of its Master Manual to give the same consideration to recreation and other North Dakota uses of the water that it gives to the relatively insignificant barge industry downstream.”
Hoeven, Janklow and Johanns are arranging a meeting with Missouri River Basin state governors and the Corps to resolve river management issues. Under the Corps’ existing Master Manual the River has largely been managed to address the needs of downstream navigation, rather than drought mitigation and upstream recreation and environmental interests. A draft revision of the Master Manual is expected by the end of May.
“This is a larger, regional issue about management of the Missouri River, and it requires a two-prong approach,” Hoeven said. “We need to pursue it in the courts, and we need to pursue it at the negotiating table. North Dakota’s interests coincide with the interests of other upper Plains states, and we will continue to work hard with governors throughout the region to make sure our waters are protected.”
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