Site Management for Missouri River Wildlands to Revert to Corps

Mitigation lands along the Missouri river are being returned to management by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Following the Corps purchase of five areas along the Missouri River, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission agreed to be responsible for active management. The sites include William Gilmour/Tobacco Island south of Plattsmouth, Hamburg Bend in Otoe County as well as Kansas Bend, Upper Brownville Bend and Langdon Bend in Nemaha County.

Staff at the Corps Missouri River Project Office north of Omaha will be responsible for area management on October 1, 2019. The Corps has established many additional mitigation areas associated with the Missouri River.

“We plan to make the management change as transparent as possible,” said Larry Janis, recreation and natural resource branch chief with the Corps. There may be some difference in the area roadways and grassland management practices. A significant item prompting the change was that current Nebraska agricultural agreements would not allow “trade services to be done with local entities,” he said.

NGPC has managed some of these sites for more than 20 years, or since the 1990s, according to Pat Molini, assistant division administrator for the agency. The agency also owns other properties, including the Peru Bottoms WMA. “These sites are special places for birds along the river.”

There are currently no planned changes in management responsibilities at the five areas including no expected dramatic change in the outdoor activities available – including bird watching, fishing, hiking, hunting and nature study – on these public lands. Similar areas are owned and managed on the Iowa side of the river by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Camping will continued to not be allowed. Collecting of any flora and fauna is also not allowed.

Further information on Omaha District mitigation areas associated with the Missouri River is available at the Missouri River Recovery Program website.

Iske Place to be New River Greenspace

The final approval of contracts to purchase the last parcels of riverside property will result in a new green space along the Missouri River in southeast Sarpy County.

The former Iske place is located on the west side riverbank, a short distance north of the Platte River confluence, and north of the Highway 34, Platteview Road bridge over the Missouri River.

"After the structures are demolished, the property will be restored to open, green space," said Amanda Grint of the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District. "We expect that we should have the structures removed by fall 2015."

The area encompasses 34 acres.

"We have restrictive covenants on the uses due to the federal grant," said Amanda Grint of the NRD. Beyond following those conditions we do not have plans at this time and cannot answer your specific questions."

Questions asked were:

• Will the property be open to the public? And when?
  
• What will be the official name of the property?
  
• Will hunting be allowed?
  
• How will it be managed?
  

"We see a value to removing people from flood risk and also to restoring open space along the river however no management goals have been set at this point," Grint said in latter February.

A federal grant program was one essential reason the NRD pursued purchase of the property, Grint said. The Papio-Missouri NRD will move ahead on efforts to revert the area from a housing development to green space, once they close upon the property.

A "hazard mitigation grant" from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay 75 percent of the $1.5 million cost of property acqisition. A 12.5 percent of the cost is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The remaining 12.5 percent will be paid for by the NRD, the City of Bellevue and Sarpy County.

OPPD Habitat Destruction and Threats to Wildbirds?

This is an email which was sent to the Nebraska Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in order for initiate an investigation of this situation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also been asked to clarify the situation at the Mandan Flats, in order to determine if the expectant vegetative clearing will impact the status of the wetlands and brooks on this property owned by the citizens of the City of Omaha.

This is a request that the FWS investigate the continual habitat destruction by the Omaha Public Power District. At least 200 miles of corridor are cleared on an annual basis, and done during all months of the year, according to information provided by the utility.

If there is any vegetation beneath the powerlines during the time when birds are breeding, it is more than likely that there is the potential destruction of bird nests, eggs and young. The clearing effort, as personally seen, involves the nearly complete removal of vegetation. What remains is just the ground cover, with a height of less than an inch. There are several species which appreciate the area of particular concern, the Mandan Flats along the Missouri River, just east of Mandan Park. This is City of Omaha property, owned by the citizens.

This is just a small space of special interest whereas OPPD is so completely involved in removing vegetation on large extents of land.

Any destruction of birds nests, eggs or young is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The FWS needs to investigate this situation and make sure there are no violations, or how the public utility is aware of and addressing any potential concerns.

By the way, the state of Nebraska has a somewhat similar law regarding how it is illegal to destroy bird eggs or nests, so perhaps their law enforcement officials should be involved as well?

City Must do All Possible to Save Birds

My supportive letter in the Public Pulse. Omaha World-Herald 149(29): 6B.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal for a lighting schedule at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge (Nov. 4 World-Herald) is a compromise regarding the reality of bird strikes in eastern Omaha. The spring and autumn periods suggested are associated with peaks of migrational movement along the Missouri River valley by a wonderful variety of species.

There are hundreds of bird strikes in the downtown environs every year. They can occur any day between early March through November, based upon my investigation of more than 500 dates since May 2008. Dead or disabled birds can be easily found.

City of Omaha officials should do everything possible to minimize hazards to migratory birds, especially due to lighting at the Kerrey bridge. The cityscape is already very dangerous to so many birds, and steps to reduce the tragic impacts should be made by public and private entities.

Avian Collisions - Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

This is a copy of the email sent by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Brook Bench, director of the Omaha Parks Recreation and Public Property department; a copy was also sent to the nongame biologist at the Nebraska Game and parks Commission. This letter was the basis for an article "Threat to migrating birds puts spotlight on Bob Kerrey bridge" by Nancy Gaarder that was in the Omaha World-Herald on November 4th. There are some supportive comments included with the online article.

"The purpose of this E-mail is to recommend a minor modification to the current lighting regime at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to minimize the risk of birds colliding with the lighted support cables and pylons during their spring and fall migrations. Protection of migratory birds is a priority to the Fish and Wildlife Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in Nebraska and we have worked with numerous organizations to find ways to avoid and minimize the risks posed to migratory birds in our state.

"As you are probably aware, the Missouri River provides an important migration corridor for birds in the spring and fall. Many of these birds migrate at night and rest during the day. Sources of light can attract migrating birds, especially if these lights are located along a flight pathway and are illuminated at a time when birds are looking to rest after a night of migration. We believe that this is the time when birds tend to collide with structures and are injured and killed. For this reason, we request that you consider the following modification to the current lighting at the Pedestrian Bridge.

"We request that you shut off the lights on the cables and the vertical pylons at 11:00 pm as is currently done. However, we request that the lights not be turned back on until sunrise during the spring and fall migrations only. Spring migration is from April 15-May 31 and fall migration is from September 1-October 31. Currently, it is our understanding that the lights are turned back on at 5:00 am year round. Path lighting should remained unchanged to ensure a safe environment for those using the bridge as should any lights associated with warning for aircraft or vessels as required by FAA and the Coast Guard, respectively.

"Our effort here is to try and be proactive and work with you on what appears to be a somewhat minor modification to the current lighting regime to protect birds as they migrate along the Missouri River. At this point, we are unaware of any birds that have collided with the lighted cables or pylons at the Pedestrian Bridge. It is likely, however, that collisions have occurred and dead and injured birds simply fall into the river and go undetected. As you are probably aware, the vast majority of migrating birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

"Thank you for your consideration and assistance in the protection of birds as they migrate through Nebraska. Please contact me if I can be of assistance to you on this matter or if you have any questions. Thanks."

Robert R. Harms

Fish and Wildlife Biologist

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

203 West Second Street

Grand Island, NE 68801

Planning Underway for Missouri Backwaters Renovation

Planning is currently underway for two projects that will renovate backwater habitat along the Missouri River. One site is on the Nebraska-side of the river at Desoto National Wildlife Refuge. The other is at Wilson Island State Recreation Area.

Partners with the Army Corps of Engineers on these projects are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

About 25 people attended the first public scoping meeting — held at the refuge visitor center the evening of March 19 — where information on the project was explained, and officials were present to answer any questions, said David Crane, an environmental resources specialist with the Corps. There was an opportunity for attendees to provide any comments.

The Wilson Island site is associated with an existing backwater along the eastern boundary of the area. The Desoto Bend area is a relict backwater area.

There are numerous expected benefits, Crane said:

"The purpose of site-specific Missouri River Recovery Program Shallow Water Habitat (SWH) projects such as those at Wilson Island State Recreation Area and Desoto National Wildlife Refuge is to restore habitat for and population sustainability to federally endangered pallid sturgeon and to mitigate the loss of fish and wildlife habitat that occurred due to construction of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project. SWH also provide nursery and refuge environments for young fish and foraging areas for other native fish, conditions in SWH environments are able to produce high amounts of macroinvertebrates and plankton which feed pallid sturgeon and other native fish and wildlife. As native wildlife communities are established in these restored environments recreational benefits are also derived by people who enjoy fishing, hunting, hiking, taking insect photographs, etc.

Final design for the two projects is still being evaluated, Crane said. Once a final plan is prepared, it will be available for public review.

"Final plans and specification are expected to be ready to be advertised by the end of August 2013, with construction beginning after the contract is awarded. Once construction begins the contractor will be given 12-24 months to complete the project. The anticipated construction cost of the different alternatives currently ranges between $3.0 million and $4.9 million, though these figures are based on order of magnitude estimates and final construction costs will be based on final project design which public and agency input can help shape."

The Corps of Engineers will pay all project costs, since it is a Missouri River Recovery Program habitat creation effort (shallow water habitat and emergent sandbar habitat).

Comments on the project may be mailed to U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Omaha District, ATTN: CENWO-PM-AC (David Crane), 1616 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102-4901; or via email to david.j.crane [@] usace.army.mil

"We are taking comments between now and about the end of May- the end of the public comment period depends on when the draft environmental assessment. A public notice will announce the timeframe of the assessment comment period, but comments are welcome before that announcement. If there is an optimal time it would probably be after the draft environmental assessment goes out - that way folks have some substantive content to comment on."

Images courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Wetland Habitat Created With Levee Reconstruction

When the Army Corps of Engineers was rebuilding levees along the Missouri River, they also did the work in a manner to create additional riverine habitat.

All images courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers.

The two particular efforts were levee setback and excavating and grading borrow pits in a manner to allow wetlands to be established, said David J. Crane, an environmental resources specialist with the Corps.

This work was especially done at two sites in Iowa, Crane said.

Copeland Bend Mitigation Site (river miles 560-565), adjacent to Highway 2, across from Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Work here included approximately 3.6 miles of levee setback north of the highway and approximately one mile of levee setback south of the highway. This setback occurs along the Copeland Bend of the Missouri River, between river miles 565-560. About 760 acres of floodplain were opened at this site, nearly "doubling the total riverward habitat area at this location to 1,456 acres."

About 200 acres of wetland habitat were created, planted with a native mix of wetland plant species that favor the generally sandy soils in the area.

Frazers Bend (river miles 556-559); on the Iowa side of the river, about three miles south of the Highway 2 site.

This setback is approximately three miles long. About 1100 acres of floodplain were opened, "bringing the new total riverward habitat area at this location to 2,098 acres."

About 100 acres of wetland habitat were created, and will also be planted to a native mix of plant species.

The levees were being rebuilt due to damages associated with the flood of 2011.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), along with the local levee sponsors, Fremont County staff, and Iowa Department of Transportation were the main partners in completing this levee rehabilitation project along with the Corps of Engineers, Crane said.

"Both agencies were coordinated with frequently throughout the planning and construction phase regarding: native seed mixes, wetland construction, setback levee alignment, location of borrow sites, road relocation," he said.

The Corps has recognized several ecosystem benefits that will occur because of these projects:

• "Increased floodplain and riparian habitat for fish and other wildlife
  
• "Provides needed spawning and nursery areas for many fish species during times of high water
  
• "Fish and other aquatic life entering the floodplain during high water provides food for foraging birds
  and mammals
  
• "Floodwater movement across the floodplain produces plankton and aquatic insects
  
• "Increased groundwater recharge
  
• "More floodplain is open to receive nutrients deposited from flood waters
  
• "Sediment deposition and scouring creates diverse habitat and topography on the floodplain"
  

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is in charge of managing these two public areas.

Coordination with the IDNR and NRCS will continue through monitoring of the wetlands created at the setback sites.

The Copeland Bend Site along Highway 2, in Iowa.

These projects are expected to be completed during March. A Corps' article provides further information on the levee setback project.

January Tour of the La Platte Bottoms

It was a vividly cold, January day to be looking for birds, but it was the last day of the month, and plans might have negated common sense. The temperature was in the single digits, and there was a brisk breeze from the north meant an oppressive wind chill.

But purpose was the intent, and besides, someone else drove. It was a group endeavor to take a look at the La Platte Bottoms. There were eleven people within the big, red van filled with participants that first gathered at the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District office at Wehrspan Lake. We then went forth, bundled within a variety of clothing, with layers of various sorts most prevalent. There was no especially distinctive hat.

The first bird of the outing was an American Kestrel along a highway corridor.

Upon arriving at the land eastward from La Platte, a single meadowlark was the first bird obvious. Nearby was a small flock of tree sparrows.

The tour of the bottoms continued eastward, and then along the levee. We went past Iske Place, on the west side of the Missouri River, where there are few remaining residents.

The NRD is moving forward with plans to buy Iske Place, and revert the properties to greenspace. It could be done with assistance of FEMA and NET grants. There is a similar intent for another another tract to the north at Elbow Bend. These places have been regularly ravaged by flood flows associated with the mighty Missouri River, so the time is apparent for the destruction to end.

Everyone got to see the upside-down crane — in the same situation as when the reported accident occurred earlier in the week — at the construction site for the new bridge over the Missouri River. A prominent sign indicating the number of accident-free days, had not yet been updated.

A couple of Bald Eagles were prominent because of their size. The two obvious were adults.

There were no deep drifts or any sorts of getting stuck problems because of the inches of snow a couple of days ago on the top of the levee. Marlin Petermann with the NRD, kept up an informative narrative. Especially notable features included local deer, former wells, a pump house and water control structures, fencing associated with a former dump, and prominent boundary markers.

An essential aspect were the colorful maps indicating property boundaries, landscape features which included a definitive indication of wetland areas, and other miscellany so essential to the day's endeavor.

Along the way, a suggestion to lead a bird hike was meet with vividly expressive silence.

Among the verbiage of the tour time, were some anecdotes about the local security man, who apparently has a deep well of stories. He was certainly attentive, as a nearby gate was quickly opened, though the route of the van was to go elsewhere.

With the fine mix of people riding within the big, red van, there were other ancillary topics of conversation, especially appreciated because it was a wonderful opportunity to listen and learn, with a purpose and strident effort to achieve a common goal!

The personal highlight of the afternoon drive was a Red-tailed Hawk, which had been sitting on a tree branch, until disturbed. It was hanging about an area on the north side of the Platte River where are significant portion of the native trees had been decimated by the flood, well remembered. The high-water mark was obvious on the tree trunks.

A short list of tasks was decided in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store, along Highway 75. A biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service, quipped to me: "You're seeing how the sausage is made," in reference to how decisions can be made by a group sitting in a van on a cold Thursday afternoon. This was after a break where nearly everyone had a refreshing something to drink, whether it was a coke or a rootbeer or some other liquid.

There is so much more to convey about the results of the afternoon tour about the confluence of the Platte at the Missouri River. Specifics convey opportunity and the results of the group will be known, and appreciated in the future.

Special thanks to the staff of the Papio-Missouri NRD for sponsoring the tour with its lively discussion and attention to further efforts to conserve the greenspace at the La Platte Bottoms.

The bird species observed are the first known records for this locale, for January.

Corps Habitat Development Continues Along Missouri

In continuing to restore habitats along the Missouri River, the Army Corps of Engineers has several notable projects recently completed or underway.

Details for these projects were provided by Kelly Crane and Luke Wallace, both actively involved with the habitat restoration efforts by the Omaha District of the Corps.

Projects completed or underway, include:

1. Deer Island, on the Iowa side of the river at mile 672 (just above the confluence of the Little Sioux River), and located on property owned by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources: is a major channel top width widening project designed to create shallow water habitat along the main channel border. The top width of the river will be increased up to 400 feet in places to establish a "bench" of shallow water adjacent to the primary river channel. This project was started in 2012, and will be completed in 2014.

Deer Island project, October 2012. All images courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers.

2. Sandy Point, on the Nebraska side of the river at mile 657, and completed in 2011: a new shallow water habitat was created that that consists of two chutes and multiple tie channels connecting the chutes to the river. The setting will provide an several features, according to Wallace, including an increase in the depth and flow diversity of the off-channel river waters, create more edge habitat and provide places for woody debris piles to develop.

Sandy Point project, October 2012.

"This is a complex project not like any that have been previously done," said Wallace, especially noting it is "unique for having two chutes. It is like a research project," with extensive preliminary modeling done to determine the best method of implementation. Physical and biological monitoring will be done to evaluate the results, he said.

3. Tobacco Island, at river mile 588: a modification to an existing chute to change the location of the inlet and route the chute away from a rocky outcropping to allow the chute develop over the years as designed. This project is at the William Gilmore WMA, just downstream from Plattsmouth. The first chute created could not widen as intended due to the rock strata near the bluffs, so a chute is being dredged further to the east and closer to the river. The first chute will revert to backwater habitat, Crane said.

Tobacco Island project, October 2012.

Other smaller projects required due to changes in channel features caused by the 2011 flood, were done at Fawn Island, Middle Decatur Bend, and Tyson Bend, said Wallace. This primarily involved dredging to reconnect features to the river hydrology.

The corps plans to work on the following project in the coming months, Crane said.

1. Little Sioux Bend, in Nebraska at river mile 668: "create a chute with multiple tie channels similar to the Sandy Point project.

Little Sioux Bend project site, October 2012.

Little Sioux Bend project design, October 2012.

2. Boyer/DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, on the Iowa side of the Missouri at river mile 644: a shallow water feature will be created on refuge lands, in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A planning meeting for this project occurred November 9th.

3. Glover's Point, on the Nebraska side of the river on Winnebago Tribe land at river mile 712: a backwater area will be established, including a connection to river hydrology, to what had been a chute project. High river flows in 2011 blocked the upstream end of the chute, Crane said. The Corps is working with members of the Winnebago Tribe to revise the project features.

Each of these projects are required to mitigate the loss of habitat due to construction of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project.

Project Evaluation

A reconnaissance to evaluate the status of the river and mitigation projects from Rulo, Neb. to Sioux City, IA, occurred on October 16-17th.

Fifteen people participating in the helicopter flights included Corps engineers, biologists and construction representatives responsible if the design and function of the projects, along with representatives of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

They had an opportunity to look at different construction, hydrology, recovery and environmental components along the river, according to Wallace. And to in particular:

1. evaluate current river conditions subsequent to the 2011 flood;
   
2. determine the status of site repairs done earlier in the year to repair flood damage;
   
3. review work completed or underway at project sites;
   
4. see where levee repairs had been done, and to get a perspective of the borrow sites where dirt was removed to repair the levee structures. In some cases, where public land was available, the levees were moved a further distance from the primary river channel. At other sites, the excavation of dirt necessary for the new levees, meant new wetland habitat was developed, with hundreds of acres created overall.
   
5. consider locations for potential new projects.
   

During the survey, thousands of documentary photographs were taken that visually convey the river condition setting along the entire distance.

These flights, done every October, "provide a great perspective and a good overview," Crane said. "They are beneficial because they allow those responsible for the projects to see them all in one day. The two state agencies are very important partners with the Corps and participate in selecting, planning and designing projects" in their states. The National Park Service is also a partner, along the Missouri National Recreation River, above Ponca State Park.

Journal of a Missouri River Hunting Party

Journal of a Hunting Party,

Consisting of three Sergeants, two Corporals, and twenty-six Privates, under the command of Captains Martin and Shaler, who left Camp Council Bluffs, Oct. 13, 1820.

All things being in readiness, the little party moved off at 2 P.M., with those feelings of mirth, anticipated pleasure, and mutual good will, visible in the countenances of the silent, and difficult to restrain in the more noisy, which are only inspired by that thirst for novelty and love of adventure, which alone can induce the sportsman and explorer, so often, to incur hazards. Now wending over trackless prairies, now penetrating the unpathed forests, and now braving the current of the rapidly rushing stream — leaving the bed of down and pillow of sheltered repose, for a couch of leaves, deep in the wild woods over shadowed only by the blue celestial gauze of the canopy above, and unprotected from the peltings of the merciless storm save by the leaky thatch of the trees, or scanty covering of some hollow log — to encounter the wild howling of a hungry pack of wolves, the close hug of the dreaded bear, or some more fearful enemy, that they might recount their valorous conflicts, heroic exploits, and brilliant achievements, when surrounding in the years of after Life the more quiet domestic hearth; imbuing, perhaps, the minds of their children with a love and admiration of their prowess and encouraging to deeds of like daring, or by the relation of their hair breadth escapes striking sorrow and terror to their young and unsophisticated minds till it is seen in the glistening watery eye or tremulous shaking of the body. As I observed in the outset our party were of that good cheer; animated by that love of romance which only attends the footsteps of the hunstman, and which is so seldom satiated while in the pursuit of the chase.

Having a long journey before us, (designing an absence of some months) our purpose was to proceed slow and cautiously; not fretting at unavoidable delays and content to make the night, night, wherever its shaded wings over-spread us. Hence we quietly descended to an Indian trading establishment, a distance of seven miles, where we arrived at 4 o'clock and having some business of a private nature to transact, took up our abode until next morning, Saturday 14; when as early as the gilding of the eastern horizon by Aurora's harbinger, our little boat was again struggling amid the strong current, over which we had scarcely made eight miles before we were compelled to lay by for the remainder of the day, in consequence of high winds, which not unfrequently impeded our progress, as we afterwards found.

Sunday, 15. The wind still continuing to blow we determined not to leave our moorings, and detached a small party for game who returned in the evening, bringing in 2 deer, 1 turkey, 16 ducks and 4 plover.

Monday, 16. The morning being fine, all hands were once more in motion, and ere the setting of the sun, we had made eighteen miles.

17. After having increased our distance seventeen miles, the wind spring up, we came to at 3 P.M. and sent out four men who returned bringing in 8 turkies.

18. Wind being still high, we did not attempt to move. The day ended in the killing of 4 deer and 8 turkeys.

19. Left our encampment at the break of day and after running four miles on a host of snags and sawyers our boat struck one which lay concealed under the water with so much force as to spring a leak and render it quite difficult to reach the shore; so that this day ended with the killing of 1 deer, 3 turkeys — and only three miles additional distance on our journey.

20. Having got our boat again in a seaworthy condition we started about 8 o'clock, and the day being exceedingly fine cut off about forty-five miles and hauled up for the night.

21. This morning a dense fog, depressing our spirits by its gloomy mists, as an excess of ease and sleep overcomes the dull senses of an indolent, drowsy man, prevented our getting off later than our usual hour. After going, however, six miles, we halted for a late breakfast, and some of our men going out for a little recreation, by way of strengthening the palate, returned with 5 turkies — after which we proceeded on till we arrived about 2 P.M. at Targneo: where we had designed to remain for a few days. But being disappointed in the scarcity of game, with the intuitive perception of the sagacious sportsmen soon discovered that we should neither feather our bed with the down, clothe ourselves with the skins, or supply the hungry man of a gnawing appetite with wild game at this place.

Accordingly, on Monday 23, we dropped down four miles further; sent out all our men but ten, who returned after a short absence with the bountiful supply of 11 deer and 5 turkies. Nothing transpired here for several days except the taking of some additional game each day.

On Saturday, 28, we had again left our encampment, and were proceeding as usual on our way, filing off now to the left, then to the right, through and over snags and sawyers, as thick as they were dangerous, when we unfortunately, for the second time gave our little barque a most fearful wretching, and were saved from filling with water only by the redoubled effort of our men — who succeeded after much difficulty in getting it ashore, where we detained some hours in making good the damages; after which we again embarked and reached Nodaway without further vexations accidents. This was another intended point of temporary delay. We were here joined by a party of our men who had been left to proceed by land, and who came in well burthened with game.

29. Early this morning sent out two parties of five men each to explore the country, and to be absent 3 or 4 days. — Captains Martin and Shaler were here desirous of displaying their sportsmanship, and armed cap a pie, they sallied forth to test their skill in decoying the timid deer and still wilder turkey, but from their ill success, returned, evincing by trustful looks the conviction, that if better drilled in military discipline than their subordinates, they were at most not superior in the subtle craft of the huntsman. Game, however, seems very abundant and promises excellent sport to all whose organ of destructiveness takes pleasure in seeing the warm heart's blood flow. — As yet it is not determined whether we continue further on our journey or make this our winter quarters.

30. Capt. Shaler went out again this morning, and as if to redeem himself from the chagrin of yesterday, returned well laden with ducks, 7 of which he says were killed at one shot. — 2 deer were taken today.

31. The exploring parties detached a few days since, returned this evening with 18 deer. One of the parties report that a large company of Indians are approaching; we shall probably see them in the morning. This is their hunting ground, and we are under serious apprehensions that our occupancy of it will excite their jealousy.

Wednesday, November 1st, after due advisement we have concluded to establish ourselves here permanently for the winter, and have this day commenced the erection of Log Hunts on which our men will be employed until completed.

4. Our winter lodges are rapidly progressing and already begin to wear an air of comfort for which the courtly mansion and pampered appetite of its courtly lord might be well exchanged to engage in the buxom, healthful sport of the chase. This evening a scouting party sent out a few days since, returned with 17 deer — two other companies were ordered out this morning. The Indians of whom we received the report on the 31st, have not yet made their appearance.

7. The morning has dawned beautifully after a night in which was so fearfully exhibited the terrific grandeur of the angry elements. The thunder and lightning of last night spoke louder for the natural world, in a single hour, than all the artificial manufactured by the pelting officers of earth since its creation. 2 deer taken to-day.

9. The party that was sent out on the 4th inst. returned last night, burdened with 26 deer and one bear. An Indian of the Kanzas tribe accompanied them in, and says there are thirty of his tribe hunting on the opposite side of the river. He gives us every assurance of friendship. Reloaded our boat this morning, and with a part of our company descended the river for a short excursion — shall probably be absent for two or three days. Before leaving another party was sent up the Nodaway.

10. Last night snow fell to the depth of three or four inches and this morning the scene is as wintry as a Laplander could desire. The trees are festooned with icicles and snow covers the face of the land as ice in part does that of the waters, and every thing around and beneath us, seems so much like a northern winter, that the scenes of home and the society of neighbors, might be realized in part without a journey either to Norway or Sweden.

12. Returned back to camp this evening; the weather still continues of the frigid order.

13. An absent party brought us in an additional supply of 10 deer, and 3 others were killed during the day by Captains Martin and Shaler. The weather yet remains uncomfortably cold. Two other companies have gone out to-day.

15. Captain Shaler set out his morning, accompanied by two men, for Council Bluffs. A company who have been absent for a day or two returned with 18 deer, and 5 more were killed by Capt. Martin.

18. The two parties that went out on the 13th inst. returned to-day bringing 28 deer : a larger number than has been brought in at any one time before. Large herds of elk have been seen within the last few days, one of which was wounded by Corporal Wilson, but escaped.

Monday 20. Three lodges of Indians passing themselves for the Ottoes, arrived and encamped last night on the opposite of the Nodawa, they wish to make themselves very friendly, but the old proverb is, "a modest distrust is the parent of serenity." Their horses have been turned to pasture among the rushes on the island — this indicates a protracted stay, which it is feared will disparage our hunting pleasures — their intentions, however, toward us are yet to be known.

22. This morning our spying neighbors, the Indians, very unceremoniously struck their wigwams and decamped giving us indubitable evidence of the legerdemain, by leaving us minus several knives, tomahawks, &c. &c., in despite of the injunction which had been levied for the united vigilance of all hands. They even attempted to carry off Capt. Shaler's young and favorite dog, Nimrod, but being pursued this dog was secured, which is esteemed of no little value, but less from the celebrity of his name, than from his other general good qualities. Another of our hunting parties came in this evening, bringing a respectable portion of game, and report that like the fable of the hungry flies sapping poor Reynards best blood, we are about to be visited again by some of natures rude natured men, in whom the organ of truce and concretion, to call it by no harsher name, however defective in its development, is in no particular deficient in size, as we have already had ocular demonstration.

23. Another of our parties returned to-day with 11 deer, and say they have suffered the loss of one over-coat, two pairs of shoes, leggins, &c. &c., through the thieving propensities of the same band that had similarly visited us.

December 1. Nothing worthy of record has transpired for some days; we are in the daily receipt of a full supply of game. Last night 23 deer were brought in, and to-day our camp is stored with 29 more. Kerr and Rogers, two of our men, arrived yesterday from the Bluffs, and will depart in the morning for St. Louis. — We are receiving additional proof this evening that winter is upon us in good earnest; for while I write the aqueous particles congealed until their very substance is exhausted, are falling thick and fast, and I am not unwilling to admit that the ardor of our first pursuit is fast subsiding before the terrors of a dreary winter. Already has the longing for the more comfortable rooms of our proper military posts, as depicted in the countenances of our men taken the place of the first earnestness of the chase; and which plainly indicates that novelty interests only while new, and that too much of a good thing may lead to a surfeit, which is little better than to starve with nothing.

So by this time you are left to the conclusion that your journalist is

No Sportsman.

April 2, 1844. Green Bay Republican 3(25): 1. Written for the Green Bay Republican.

The bird records in this text were added to a bird database, using a historic, Lewis and Clark era map of the Missouri River to determine approximate locations. This article was an exiting find because of its date and place and since it has not been previously known for the chronicles associated with old-time bird history for Nebraska.

The first post created at what became the Engineer Cantonment was called Cantonment Martin, after Captain Wyly Martin.

Malaise of Flooded Missouri Valley Habitats

A white-tailed deer belly-deep in flood waters covering the Horseshoe Lake Flats was the forlorn sign of the malaise along the in bird habitats along the Missouri River of Nebraska. It stood still for quite a time, not moving in any particular manner, as if not knowing what to do next. It was surrounded by water of variable depths, and may have lost its nurtured fawn?

For wild birds, there have undoubtedly been similar tragedies of the summer breeding season as merciless water creeps across dry land, flooding habitats and havens for so many birds.

Carbonation

A visit to some known floodplain places was carried out on June 11th.

It started with an arrival on the east bluff lookout at Hummel Park a bit after 5 a.m., to have proper siting for a sunrise during the summer solstice month. Access was available from Ponca Road as Pershing Road was closed at the river bridge near Florence. Above this road, the Interstate had also been closed, as flooding on the Iowa side meant a closed section of I-29.

Along the steep route outward, the clay soil was tacky, giving a good grip for shoe soles, and thankfully suited for the careful steps to get along on a suitable vantage point or two.

Upon looking downward in a vast expanse, an Eastern Phoebe found the situation suitable, though it was a place where an errant step would be into a dangerous, big hole or a long fall from the sheer bluff wall.

Songsters expressed the pending day, vocal in a scene without car or plane traffic. Fog in the sky masked portions of the Missouri valley in the dim and expressive light of pre-dawn.

The lowland was liquid H2O, mostly covered.

The corn field to the east was mostly flooded, with another Duda Farm field to the north was entirely flooded. N.P. Dodge Park was all covered. Scant glimpses of sun and changing sky conditions meant it was time to relocate.

A quick jaunt was made to the Horseshoe Lake Flats. Along the way - after the dreadful traffic control situation due to recreational trail construction - the Surfside Club was closed due to flood conditions, especially in its parking lot. The usual road taken along the lowlands by the Krimlofski Tract was closed and blocked by cement barricades. An alternative western route was taken that ended at the drainage ditch along County Road P49. Where it was barricaded, with signage.

Floodplain

Nearly everything eastward of this point was under some depth of water. It looked like a lake to the east, though the road signs sticking up here and there readily indicated usual purposes. In the distance were inundated buildings. A center-pivot irrigator was useless as it was partially under water.

The most interesting consideration from this point: What is the entire flooded land was actually part of the Boyer Chute NWR. Forget growing crops on a floodplain but allow the river to reclaim land it undoubtedly spread across in former years. The scene was wild and dramatic in its presentation of a time many decades ago when there was natural flooding which was the nature of the Missouri River.

Resident tragedies would eventually disappear. There would be less personal disasters and economic impact if the land was managed differently.

After an interlude, the day's route went southward to the entrance of N.P. Dodge Park where the local flock of Canada geese were gathered. The gaggle of geese were gathered on a spit of grass. One gander was using a spot reserved for handicapped parking. Boisterous goslings were big but not yet ready to fly. This bit of turf was among the few square feet of the park which were not inundated.

Displaced

An unusual bird sighting here was two Green Herons, also adapting to the conditions. A Killdeer had a miniscule place where it could forage.

Along Pershing Drive, a jogger came along, and upon inquiry said there was no water on the road to the south. That route was actually accessible. Here, and elsewhere during the day, were gawkers getting their own perspective of the Flood of 2011.

Returning to the Hummel Park bluffs, intermittent sun and fog clouds presented a suitable dichotomy of the situation.

After safely maneuvering the park bluffs - more suited to a phoebe or bunting than a human hiker - it was time to go further south, moving first along Pershing Drive. The Corps of Engineers had built a berm of several feet around the Omaha Moorings staff building. Coast Guard people had done the same. Beneath the Mormon Bridge, a officer of the Omaha Police Department sat in his cruiser, controlling inbound access onto the drive. Leaving was not being controlled.

The guy was given a wave.

Near Carter Lake, contractors were placing sand bags around at least four electrical facilities - transformers, etc. - along Abbott Drive, by Eppley Airfield. Preventive efforts certainly?

Industrial?

La Platte Bottoms

Safely transversing the traffic officer radar spot north of La Platte, the always expressive La Platte Bottoms were reached. Water levels were notably higher than an earlier visit in June. There were however, barricades and road closed signs at the junction of La Platte Road and Harlan Lewis Drive, similar to those from the latter months of 2010.

Upon driving east to see what birds were about, my excursion was brought short by a man in a big pickup, making a kindly gesture. He asked if my residence was further along? No. He then said the county sheriff was issuing tickets to people present along the road, as it was officially closed. The apparent fine was $57.

My route - after noting the Great-tailed Grackles - went eastward to the first turn-around and continued to a stopping point at the intersection, just a few feet west of the barricades and signs, and certainly out of the zone of potential conflict.

It was not a good time to be trying to watch birds. There was too much traffic, especially dump trucks of various sorts. Some were taking fill material to a nearby site along Papillion Creek where the military was apparently filling sand bags to armor the creek's levee. A bit west, other trucksters hauled quantities of dirt to create a berm around a power company facility.

During a stop at the western edge of the bottoms, with the car parked completely off the roadway, there was a bit of time to see more Black Terns, and snap a pic after getting stable following the gusts from passing trucks. While there, a county sheriff drove past.

Watersway

Great Marsh

The road to the floodplain of Fontenelle Forest and Gifford Point was completely blocked by barricades about a mile to the west, near Camp Logan Fontenelle. There were four barricades joined by a cable preventing any vehicular access, though there were no directives limiting foot traffic.

It did require a hike among the forest with beautiful birds to arrive on the floodplain. There certainly was water on the road, a few hundred feet eastward of the railroad tracks. Most of the lowland of Gifford Point is covered by some extent of river flows at this place directly below the city of Omaha.

The Great Marsh is greater than it has been in any recent year. The expansive marsh includes aquatic forest to the east - perhaps it might be called a swamp - and there are probably continuous liquid conditions to Hidden Lake.

Rust on the tracks indicate a lack of use for the BNSF railroad line.

Evening Time

Barricades along the county road east of Fort Calhoun were noted in a visit during in the early evening with ample sun. A partial barricade was bypassed to access to the barricade point. During the very brief visit, a patrol car of the Nebraska State Patrol came on the scene, but left without asking any questions.

A second visit to CR P49 indicated an increase in water levels. The bit of road present in the morning - as used by foraging Common Grackles and Killdeer - was gone. A female gawker here would not go beyond the barricades and signage because it said no trespassing.

The day went smoothly with no harangues for being anyplace. No inadvertent mishaps. And any citations for trespassing or speeding were avoided. All it took was time and money for high-priced gasoline.

Flood. Original artwork (c) 2011 Scott Malone.

Evaluating Options to Create Sandbar Habitat for Terns and Plovers

Adaptive management in a cost-effective manner is the current focus among the options being considered to create sandbar habitat for two bird species along the Missouri River.

During recent public involvement meetings held regarding options to create emergent sandbar habitat, officials with the Army Corps of Engineers have proposed an option that would use adaptive management to provide sufficient breeding places for the endangered interior Least Tern and threatened belted Piping Plover population on the northern Great Plains.

The Corps is currently accepting public input for the draft programmatic environmental impact statement for the mechanical creation and maintenance of emergent sandbar habitat along the Missouri River from northern Nebraska to eastern Montana. There are five particular reaches: Fort Peck, Garrison Dam, Fort Randall Dam, Lewis and Clark Lake west of Gavins Point dam, and the Gavins Point reach below the dam.

Rather than establishing a fixed amount of habitat which would be created, adaptive management would be used to create nesting habitat, evaluate results and then proceed accordingly to achieve the Corps and Fish and Wildlife Service goals of a sustainable population for both species.

The proposed option would progressively add acres of sandbar habitat and the results would then be monitored to see how the terns and plovers respond, said Cindy Upah, project manager for the emergent sandbar habitat PEIS. This would "deal with the uncertainty of what the birds need, allow flexibility in implementing the program and reduce costs."

This option - if chosen - would initially supplement up to 1315 acres of sandbar habitat. An essential part of the effort would include evaluating other management options, including mechanical clearing of vegetation from sandbars and use of geotubes.

Additional habitat is required as the extent of emergent sandbar habitat has declined from a peak of about 6000 acres in 1998 to ca. 1110 acres in the five river reaches in 2010, according to Corps figures.

If the initial measures were not sufficient to meet the goal for numbers of plovers and nesting success of terns, additional habitat would be created.

The cost of the initial effort would be approximately $6.7 million, according to the Corps. The agency currently spends $6 million on habitat creation and maintenance.

"Adaptive management is a good step and a good strategy," said Mike George, supervisor of the Fish and Wildlife Service field office in Grand Island, said at the Omaha public involvement meeting. "Incrementally building habitat is a good way to go and makes sure the efforts are working. It also puts the critters first."

"Creating habitat is expensive," George said, "but it is a cost of doing business along the river" which is managed for many different public uses and provides billions of dollars in benefits associated with flood control, generating hydro-power and navigation, for example.

Figures from the draft PEIS.

"We need to meet the birds’ needs in a cost-effective manner," said Upah, adding that the agency appreciated that people attended the public meetings. "We are glad to have an opportunity to hear comments" regarding the river and its management. The largest turnout was at Yankton, she said.

At the meetings, Corps officials presented maps of the riverine regions, which in particular along the Missouri National Recreation River, have other recognized uses that need to be considered, so only certain portions of the channel are suitable sites for creating habitat.

Thus far, the Corps has created about 600 acres in the reach of the river below Gavins Point Dam to near Ponca State Park, about 300 acres at river mile 827 and an additional 40 acres near the confluence of the Niobrara River.

The Corps is required to manage the Missouri River for threatened and endangered species because of the Endangered Species Act and the findings of a biological opinion issued in 2003.

The final public meetings were held January 5 in Omaha and January 6, in Kansas City.

About 15 people, in addition to Corps staff and representatives of the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service were also present.

Three people presented testimony in favor of the proposed effort, with two residents from the Verdel area expressing concern over the drastic change in riverine conditions in their area due to the aggradation of the channel due to sediment deposition.

The Corps will continue to accept public comments through February 22, 2011.

Copies of the draft PEIS statement – a document comprising nearly 1200 pages and 3-4 inches thick – are available online (16.5 mb PDF).

A final EIS will then be prepared and be made available for final public review, according to Upah. The final version of the document should be completed by the end of the summer, 2011.

Draft EIS Available for Corps' Sandbar Program

A draft environmental impact statement has been released by the Army Corps of Engineers for the Mechanical Creation and Maintenance of Emergent Sandbar Habitat on the Riverine Segments of the Upper Missouri River.

"The Corps is implementing the emergent sandbar habitat program for for the benefit and recovery of the interior population of the least tern and the northern Great Plains population of the piping plover," said Kelly Crane, biologist and program manager for the Corps. "We welcome and encourage input by Tribal governments, Federal, state and local agencies, and the general public. All input will be considered when writing the final Emergent Sandbar Habitat Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement."

The programatic EIS is an analysis of the "potential environmental consequences of implementing the ESH program on the Missouri River," according to an agency press release. "The study allows the public, cooperating agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service), and Corps decision makers to compare impacts among a range of alternatives. The goal is to inform the selection of a preferred alternative that allows for the creation and replacement of sufficient habitat to support tern and plover populations on the Missouri River in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner that minimizes negative environmental consequences. The EIS is required to "provide National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) coverage for the mechanical construction" of emergent sandbar habitat.

Information about the Emergent Sandbar Habitat Programmatic EIS is available online at the Missouri River Recovery Program website. The document comprises nearly 1200 pages.

The comment period will be open from November 1, 2010 to January 21, 2011.

Public meetings will take place in December 2010 and January 2011, at the following locations:

- Tuesday, November 30: Bismarck, North Dakota, Best Western Doublewood Inn & Conference Center, 1400 E. Interchange Avenue, Bismarck, N.D.

- Thursday, December 2: Fort Peck, Montana, Fort Peck Interpretive Center & Museum, Lower Yellowstone Rd., Fort Peck, Mont.

- Tuesday, December 7: Pierre, S.D. Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center, 920 W. Sioux Avenue, Pierre, S.D.

- Wednesday, December 8: Yankton, S.D., Riverfront Event Center, 121 W. 3rd Street, Yankton, S.D.

- Thursday, December 9: Sioux City, Iowa, Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center, 300 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa

- Wednesday, January 5, 2011: Omaha, Nebraska, Creighton University Mike & Josie Harper Center, 602 N. 20th Street, Omaha, Neb.

- Thursday, January 6, 2011: Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza, 4445 Main Street, Kansas City, Mo.

The tentative schedule for the public involvement meetings is:

5:00 - 6:15 pm open house

6:15 - 7:00 pm presentation

7:00 - 8:00 pm questions/comments/more open house

Completion of Planning Approaching for the Sandy Point Bend Project

Aerial view of the Sandy Point Bend project area. Image from the Draft Project Implementation Report for Sandy Point Bend Shallow Water Habitat.

The Sandy Point Bend aquatic habitat restoration project will soon be constructed along the Missouri River. It will feature a distinctive new chute design to provide shallow water habitat for the benefit of the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native aquatic species, and also provide a natural setting of wetlands and woods beneficial to other species of flora and fauna.

There will be a network of several riverine chutes created on the floodplain within the 251.6 acres that make up the Sandy Point Bend project area. These chutes will be connected to the Missouri River to provide shallow, slow moving, off-channel aquatic habitat beneficial to fish and wildlife, said Luke Wallace, an environmental resource specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The chutes will be connected to the Missouri River and provide shallow water habitat with increased channel complexity, depth diversity, and flow diversity, all of which is currently lacking in the channelized Missouri River, Wallace said. This type of habitat is more biologically productive than what is currently available in the main channel, and is thought to provide feeding and nursery areas for young pallid sturgeon.

"Tie-back" channels will connect each primary chute with the primary river channel, with three of these features directly connected to the Missouri River channel, and one connecting the two primary chutes, according to the project diagram available with the online Section 404 permit application. These channels will have a constructed bottom width of 60 feet, but they will have the ability to eventually erode to an ultimate bottom width of 150 to 200 feet, Wallace said.

The longest chute is 7,410 feet in length, according to the draft project implementation report, also available online. The other chute, closer to the current channel of the Missouri River, is 5,606 feet long. Once the four tie channels are added in, the project would result in the construction of almost three miles of chute habitat that will initially provide 25 acres of shallow water habitat with the potential of providing up to 63 acres once the channels erode to their projected ultimate widths of 150 to 200 feet.

Features of the Sandy Point Bend Project area. Image from the draft project implementation report.

To construct the project, approximately 800,000 cubic yards of material would be excavated by a hydraulic dredge. The material - basically sand - would be discharged into the Missouri River, as allowed by state and federal permits.

Water will be present in the constructed chutes during the navigation season, which typically runs from April 1 to November 30. They may or may not have water in them during the winter (non-navigation season) depending on the releases from Gavins Point Dam, Wallace said.

In addition to creating seasonal fisheries habitat, the channels are expected to be beneficial to other typical fauna which occur in this area of the Missouri River valley.

The chutes would be conducive to Bald Eagles, which prefer to forage along river channels, and with the chutes being associated with lowland cottonwood forest, it may also promote use by this species during the breeding season.

As the river water scours the channels, trees are expected to fall into the water, Wallace noted. The deadfall would be suitable for use by turtles, and roosting waterfowl, and provide substrate for macroinvertebrates which provide food for a wide variety of aquatic species. The fallen trees would also create depositional areas and scour holes, which would increase the depth and flow diversity in the chutes.

The Sandy Point Bend tract is on the west bank of the Missouri River, north of Blair, on property formerly owned by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, since it is within the boundaries of the state of Iowa, though on the current Nebraska side of the river. The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District bought the acres from the Iowa DNR, and then subsequently sold it to the Army Corps of Engineers, which closed on the site purchase on November 18, 2009, at a cost of $263,861.

It will cost about $3.2 million to create the shallow water habitat, according to cost estimates.

This project is being constructed as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Missouri River Recovery Program which seeks to mitigate for fish and wildlife habitat lost as a result of channelization of the Missouri River, and recover three federally listed threatened and endangered species (interior least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon).

Historic features of the Sandy Point Bend project area. The Sandy Point Bend Ferry Landing was on the left side of the map. Image from the 1890 Missouri River Commission Maps.

Construction is expected to start in 2011 subject to availability of funds, and be completed in approximately 12 months, Wallace said.

This project was first suggested by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, "during one of the Corps' quarterly coordination meetings" with the agency.

The Sandy Point Bend name is derived from the historic Sandy Point ferry landing, as shown on the 1890 Missouri River Commission map.

The public comment period for the Section 404 permit application closed in early July.

The site is open for public use, though this is currently limited to riverine access, as there are no roads into the place.

The Tyson Bend mitigation site is just down river, on the eastern side of the river channel, northeast of Blair.

Intensive Rains Affecting Tern and Plover Season

The 2010 Least Tern and Piping Plover season in Nebraska is being dramatically impacted due to flooding from the extensive, recent rains. Nests have been lost due to flooding, and renesting is currently underway.

"Heavy rainfall on June 12-14 caused flooding on the Niobrara River, Ponca Creek and Choteau Creek, all of which drain into the Missouri River above Lewis and Clark Lake, the reservoir formed by Gavins Point Dam," according to Gregory Pavelka, program manager for the Tern and Plover program operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District.

"The lake rose nearly four feet which partially inundated the sandbar complex constructed by the Corps of Engineers to provide nesting habitat for least terns and piping plovers. A survey on June 15 of the complex found that 21 plover and 18 tern nests were lost to flooding. However 52 plover and 86 tern nests survived the flooding. Surveys on the complex on June 22 and 23 found that 16 new plover and 33 new tern nests had been initiated since June 15."

There was additional high water levels associated with tributary rivers in the region of the Missouri National Recreation River.

"The same widespread rain event that caused Lewis and Clark Lake to rise also caused flooding on the tributaries below Gavins Point Dam," Pavelka said. "The James River flows into the Missouri increased from 4,400 cubic feet/second (cfs) to over 24,000 cfs. The Vermillion River rose from 380 cfs to 4,400 cfs.

"The Missouri just below the confluence with the James was running at more than 57,000 cfs and the river gage below the James River confluence at Gayville rose three feet," according to Corps' officials. "The Maskell gage near Vermillion, SD rose 3.5 ft. and the gage near Ponca, NE rose five ft. Flows at Ponca probably were in excess of 62,000 cfs.

"These high flows completely inundated the Corps' constructed sandbars at River Mile (RM) 795.5, 775.0 and 774.0 and partially inundated the constructed sandbars at RM 791.5, 781.5 and 777.7. A total of 59 piping plover and 50 least tern nests below Gavins Point were lost to flooding by the high flows.

There have been five successful Piping Plover nests thus far this season, and 12 active nests remain in this same section of the Missouri below Gavins Point Dam.

"Surveys completed by June 25 show that eight new piping plover and 37 new least tern nests have been initiated on the sandbars at RM 791.5, 781.5 and 777.7, since the flooding that occurred on June 14," according to the Corps.

Prior to the recent rains Gavins Point releases were varying between 26,500 and 28,000 cubic feet per second, said Michael Swenson, of the Water Management Division, of the Army Corps of Engineers. "Releases were cut to 22,000 cfs (June 12), to 15,000 cfs earlier the week of June 21, but are being increased again," he said. They were then increased to 33,000 cfs (June 14) as the Gavins Point pool increased after additional rain, and in order to bring the reservoir back down to its normal operating level."

"The increase to 33,000 cfs would probably have had little effect on tern and plover nesting in itself," Swenson said. "However, the widespread rain also increased flows on the James River from 6,000 cfs to 22,000 cfs, which did flood many nests on the river.

"The increased flows of up to 34,000 cfs, will likely not have much additional impact," on the terns and plover, Swenson said.

Survey crews are continuing to assess the impacts to the terns and plovers.

"The previous highest flows below Gavins Point Dam occurred in November 1997 when an average 70,000 cfs was released from the dam," according to Corps records. "Inflows from the downstream tributaries would have been negligible in November. The high releases out of Gavins Point were done to evacuate water out of the three upper reservoirs, Fort Peck Lake, MT Lake Sakakawea ND and Lake Oahe ND and SD."

Points-of-view of Piping Plover and Least Tern of Missouri River

Adult Piping Plover on the Missouri National Recreation River, early in the 1983 breeding season, from a Nebraska perspective of weekly riverine surveys on the hefty sandbars. It was an agency boat and motor.

Defensive adult Piping Plover on sandbar of the Missouri, denoted by survey out from Newcastle, on the Nebraska side.

A fine scene of nestlings of the Piping Plover, summer of 1983.

Least terns eggs in the nest of a Piping Plover. June 16, 1983 on the Missouri National Recreation River. This picture was published in a seasonal report for American Birds. Notice all the tracks on the right side of this nest, which based on this image was well-cared-for, as the eggs are all carefully arranged and their is nothing haphazard to convey that this was nothing other than a typical nest, shown further because of its distinct character.

Least Tern fledgling finding shelter from the hot suns on dry habitat sandbar of the Missouri National Recreation River.

Least Tern Fledgling; note the moistness of the sandbar, created by rising waters in the river with an increase in the release rate at Gavins Point Dam, just up by Yankton. This tern could not yet fly above the waters. It's life was threatened.

Just-fledged Piping Plovers gathered from a sandbar being inundated on the Missouri River, below Gavins Point Dam. July, 1983. These and other plovers, as well as little Least Tern were washed from sandbars by flows from an increase in the release rate at Gavins Point Dam, as operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Decoys placed at Desoto NWR, as pictured in August, 1984. The terns were meant to attract wild birds to utilize some sandy habitat on the refuge.

Status of Snowy Plover Revealed by Threatened and Endangered Species Research

The status of the Snowy Plover - a species only recently discovered as nesting in Nebraska and the northern Plains - is better known due to research on two endangered bird species.

Ongoing studies of the endangered interior Least Terns and threatened Piping Plovers on the Missouri River and the Big Bend region of the central Platte River have only recently also documented nesting by the Snowy Plover.

A Snowy Plover nest was first noted in Nebraska on June 10th, 1998 on a sandbar at the west end of Lewis and Clark Lake, along the Missouri River, near Santee, Nebraska. It was denoted by Greg Pavelka, a Corps of Engineers project manager. This was a significant event, adding this plover to the list of breeding species, and the official date for the state's historic ornithology.

Years later, in 2008, researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI) documented two snowy plover nests on the constructed sandbar complex at river mile 826.5 on Lewis and Clark Lake, according to Pavelka, program manager for the least tern and piping plover monitoring conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Scientists from VPI have been studying the population dynamics of the Piping Plover on the Missouri National Recreation River since 2005.

During the 2009 season, the VPI researchers under the direction of Dr. James Fraser documented ten Snowy Plover nests, Pavelka said. "Eight of these nests were successful with at least one egg hatching, one nest was lost to weather and one nest was lost predation." The VPI researchers tracked 14 snowy plover chicks.

"It was certainly very exciting to see these guys breed on Lewis and Clark Lake," said Dr. Daniel Catlin, a Research Scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at VTI, and whom just recently received his doctorate for studies on the population dynamics of the Piping Plover. "In years prior they had been periodic visitors, and I was waiting for the first eggs to drop on sand."

Constructed sandbar complex at the west end of Lewis and Clark Reservoir, Knox County Nebraska. Image courtesy of Greg Pavelka.

The "nest substrate for the snowies is similar to the piping plovers, but they do not line their nests on the Lewis and Clark sandbars," Catlin said. "They actually look like a mixture of a least tern nest and a piping plover nest. The eggs are a slightly different coloration than the plovers, and they only lay three whereas the pipers initially lay four. It is hard the first time that you see one to determine that it is, but they look just different enough that it raises questions."

Last summer at this constructed sandbar complex, the Least Tern had 93 successful nests, and the Piping Plover 56 successful nests, according to the Corps findings.

Construction on the sandbar complex was begun in 2006 and was completed in 2008. The complex was built as a part of the Corps' emergent sandbar habitat program to provide breeding habitat for least terns and piping plovers on the Missouri River. There is about 305 acres of sandbar habitat available at this complex that is suitable for nesting by the tern and plovers.

Central Platte

The Snowy Plover has been breeding along the central Platte River only since 2007.

"A pair of snowy plovers and a nest, however, was observed at the Dinan Tract site during weekly site surveys in 2008 and 2009; snowy plover chicks fledged at the Dinan Tract site during 2009," according to the report "Interior Least Tern and Piping Plover Monitoring and Research Report for the Central Platte River, Nebraska" just released by the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program office in Kearney. "Two snowy plover nests were also observed at the Dinan Tract site in 2007; one fledged young," according to David Baasch, the author of the report.

There has now been three breeding seasons with snowy plovers at this site, so "there seems to be a biased selection for this area," said Matthew Rabbe, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist that has studied these birds. "The Dinan tract islands may stand out differently from other areas in that it has the largest number of islands managed in a relatively small section of the central Platte River."

Least Terns and Piping Plover also nest at this 200-acre tract, located on the Lillian Annette Rowe Audubon Sanctuary, on the Platte River south of Gibbon, and which was dedicated in 2007.

The area is a restoration project created and managed by the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.

North Dakota

"In 2007, snowy plovers were observed on both the sparsely vegetated shorelines of alkaline lakes and sandbars on the Missouri River system during regular surveys for piping plovers and least terns," according to a report prepared by Pavelka and biologists with the Fish and Wildlife Service. "Three 1-5 day old chicks were seen on the sandbar on the Missouri on July 13, but were not seen on the next three weekly visits. The crew concluded the chicks did not fledge."

Also in Dakota, there was one nesting documented at on the Missouri River below Garrison Dam and one on Lake Oahe, where "two chicks hatched from the nest and these two were documented as having fledged," Pavelka said. "The appearance of snowy plovers in the Dakotas corresponds with spring flooded conditions in Texas, Kansas, and Colorado, which precluded nesting in traditional areas. These birds may be displaced migrants that continued north to find appropriate nesting habitat," he said.

In 2007 and 2008, Snowy Plovers also nested in North Dakota at Long Lake NWR, said Catlin. They were not present in 2009.

There were no snowy plovers documented by the Corps in North Dakota in 2008 and 2009, according to Pavelka.

Irrigation Reservoirs Habitat

Nesting at this reservoir on the western Platte was first noted in 2000, when a small chick with a female was noted, according to records gathered by Nebraska bird watchers. In 2001, an adult female with three young was noted on the south beach in mid-August. Additional nesting occurred in subsequent years.

In 2004, nesting occurred also at Harlan County Reservoir, according to an account of the status of the Snowy Plover, as maintained by Ross Silcock. There have been no subsequent records for this locality.

The Snowy Plover is classified as having a "peripheral" breeding range in Nebraska, Silcock said, as its range on the Great Plains is generally from Kansas southward.

The extent of nesting in 2009 may indicate this species is making Nebraska an inclusive part of its regular breeding season range.