Aerial Photographs of Summer Water Conditions on Missouri River

Conditions associated with the above normal flows of water along the Missouri River during the past summer, are vividly shown in a series of aerial photographs. The images have been complied in a report titled "Ecological Sustainability Through Floodplain Connectivity," with Gene Zuerlein, a fisheries biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, given as author.

The numerous photographs taken July 9th, 2010, show the extensive areas of water in the Missouri River floodway from the confluence of the Platte River, down to the Rulo vicinity. The report includes labels identifying local landmarks, which is essential in determining the location along the river channel.

"The photos were taken to assess current conditions of the Missouri River and were taken a few days after the river had peaked, "Zuerlein said. "We also wanted to see how some of the mitigations sites we manage looked after a flood. Flooding is one of those important processes mother nature uses to create habitat and redistribute needed nutrients on the floodplain."

Water is spread across the floodplain - to one degree or another - along the entire stretch of the river photographed, which includes portions of Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri.

The amount of water is astounding!

The first image shows the flooding at the LaPlatte Bottoms, just north of the Platte River confluence, indicating the summer extent of the wetlands at this site. It is interesting to note in a subsequent image, that there is only a small area of water apparent at the Oreapolis site, which is meant to mitigate for filling at the LaPlatte Site. This indicates that the tract is not as hydrologically connected, via surface water flow, to the Platte River, thus lessening the potential for a greater occurrence of wetlands and water storage during high water events.

Many of the areas with the most water present are state wildlife areas such as Schilling WMA, and the water at the new section of this tract on its south side, is well illustrated.

Many of the mitigation sites are also shown as holding water, including notably, Hamburg Bend, Langdon Bend, Aspinwall Bend, Indian Cave / Hemmies Bend and numerous other places.

Missouri River floodway, east of Rulo, Nebraska. Missouri is on the right side of the image.

The images were taken by Eric Fowler, associated with the NGPC's Nebraskaland magazine.

Water flows in the Missouri River are expected to soon return to "normal" levels, according to a representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Historic Perspectives

"Gerald Mestl and I have applied the Erodible River Concept on the 244 miles bordering Nebraska," Zuerlein said. "Basically we assessed the corridor of the Missouri River during three different timeframes and calculated how much space the river needs to be healthy like it used to be. When the MR was channelized, 522,000 acres of habitat were taken from it without fully understanding the ecological impact it would have.

"Historically, the river meandered across the floodplain, creating and taking away riverine habitat.

"The river was over engineered and put in a straight jacket and the flow regime changed to accomodate navigation. Congress passed legislation recently mandating that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (collaborating with partners and cooperators) put together an ecosystem recovery program which is currently underway.

"The Flood of 1993 also looked much like the flood of 2010. Taxpayers spent $13-16 billion bailing people out in 1993." A Presidental Report commonly called the Galloway Report" has "the particulars. With the river in its present state, its capacity to store floodwaters has been dramatically affected, consequently the stage of the river goes up when high flows are experienced.

"We need a healthier river for the future and hopefully one which will contribute a lot of ecosystem goods and services to mankind," Zuerlein said.

Regional Paper Without Environmental Reporter

The largest newspaper in Nebraska no longer has a full-time reporter responsible for writing about environmental topics.

Upon learning this and inquiring further, and during a couple of discussions with representatives of the Omaha World-Herald in recent days, this situation has become readily apparent.

If someone wants to suggest a story related to the environment, they can contact an editor, as other reporters might prepare items on environmental topics, the news editor indicated. He did not provide any comment suitable to explain the lack of a reporter focused on this subject.

The publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, also did not provide a comment when asked about this situation.

The management staff have obviously decided that other subjects deserve greater attention.

Consider:

* There are multiple food writers, as conveyed in an issue of a paper a few days ago suggesting readers go online to discuss things;

* The paper has a blog and multiple contributors about being a mom;

* There are two columnists for the news section, one for the living section and one for sports;

* There is a reporter whom writes only about weather;

* From reviewing the sport section bylines, there are at least three writers whose only subject is Big Red sports, and at least another ten sports writers.

One possible reason for this situation, is that there is no reader interest. This is a paradox, since how can readers be interested when there is no reporting on the subject?

Also, obviously, the well-known problems of being successful in publishing a newspaper have been reported far and wide, and the same issues apply as well at the Omaha World-Herald, where numerous reporters and other staff have been "let go" recently.

Having numerous other reporters assigned to a particular "beat," and none to the environment or sustainability is a situation which shows an obvious decline in the Omaha World-Herald being a "paper for the people" and "a voice promoting conservation."

Looking back, the halycon days were when Fred Thomas was always on the scene, interested in pertinent environmental topics, and doing stories and his ever-special Sunday column. There was lots to express, and he did a wonderful job.

The Omaha newspaper is but a shadow of what it was at its peak, and the lack of an environmental reporter, and the dearth of news nearly each day, show it has descended into something so much less that with it formerly was.

Public Comment Sought Regarding Communication Towers

Public input is currently being sought by the Federal Communications Commission in regards to its oversight role of communication towers.

The federal agency is conducting a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of its Antenna Structure Registration program, under obligations required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Facets of the PEA are:

1) NEPA compliance for proposed tower registrations.

2) Effects of communications towers on migratory birds.

The FCC will do a preliminary evaluation of environmental impacts of communication towers, and determine whether a more extensive evaluation - a programmatic environmental impact statement - may be required.

Two public meetings were held: on December 13 at Chula Vista, California and December 15, at Tampa Florida.

A public meeting was also held December 6, at the FCC building in Washington, D.C., which was broadcast live on the internet.

Public comments must be presented by January 14, 2011, and can be submitted online.

The FCC regulates towers through licensing requirements, where every tower built must undergo a federal review.

Addressing Bird Deaths at Communications Towers

The programmatic environmental assessment on the take of migratory birds by communication towers in the Gulf Coast area now being undertaken by the Federal Communications Commission is a court-ordered action, based upon a lawsuit won on appeal by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and others, against the FCC.

The focus is the impact of communication towers on migratory birds. The FCC regulates communication tower frequencies through licensing requirements.

In recent years, ABC, National Audubon Society, the Ornithological Council, and other groups concerned with bird mortality at communication towers, have worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine measures to reduce "take" of protected migratory birds, now numbering 1,007 different species. A conservatively estimated 4-5 million birds are killed each year due to collisions with towers in the United States, though the actual extent is not known and could be much higher. Until a cumulative impacts analysis is conducted nationwide, the more "true" level of take cannot be determined.

The unpermitted "take" of a migratory bird, such as by incidental or accidental means including tower collision, is a potential criminal violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as amended. MBTA is a strict liability statute where proof of intent is not required. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act also affords protection to both Bald and Golden Eagles. It, too, is a strict liability statute. Listed birds and other species are also protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Executive Order 13186, issued in January 2001, also requires that federal agencies protect migratory birds, and must develop and implement a memorandum of understanding with the USFWS that will "promote the conservation of migratory bird populations."

Dr. Albert M. Manville, a wildlife biologist in the Branch of Bird Conservation, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has been actively working on the bird strikes issue for many years. Pertinent examples of his involvement include:

1. Instrumental in establishing the Communication Tower Working Group in 1999 - which he chairs on behalf of the Service - to gather information pertinent to the subject;
2. Helped develop USFWS communication tower guidelines in 2000;
3. Provided a lengthy evaluation to the FCC of tools, approaches and changes needed to make communication towers more bird-friendly based on FCC proposed rulemaking in 2007;
4. Published several papers on avian-communication tower collision and radiation issues; and
5. Prepared a briefing paper in April 2009, on the need for research into the cumulative impacts of communication towers on migratory birds.

These efforts are intended to reduce the impacts which an increasing number of communication towers have on hundreds of species of migratory birds.

Towers are known dangers, depending upon their height, location, structure (e.g., monopole, lattice, or guyed -- including how many spans of guy wires are present), and the type of lighting used, as defined and required by Federal Aviation Administration's obstruction marking and lighting circular, soon to be updated.

More recently, Manville was involved as the Project Officer in a research study conducted at 24 communication towers in Michigan intended to scientifically evaluate the impact of communication towers on birds migrating through Michigan.

"Rather than litigate, funds were used to conduct a detailed, multi-year study," Manville said. The focus of the study was on tower lighting, height and presence of guy wires, he explained. "By extinguishing the red, steady-burning lighting on tall towers -- the so-called L-810 lights -- but leaving on the red flashing incandescent or red strobe lighting, bird mortality was reduced by up to 72% at some towers.

"This was an astounding finding with significant ramifications for making towers more bird-friendly," stated Manville. "White lighting is not affected since L-810s are not required on white-strobe-lit towers."

The Principal Investigator of this study was Dr. Joelle Gehring, with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Dr. Gehring is currently conducting a follow-up tall tower study in Michigan and New Jersey funded by the U.S. Coast Guard, the preliminary results of which are replicating findings from the earlier Michigan study. Manville also serves as the project officer for this study.

For Manville, there is an obvious fix which can significantly reduce bird mortality: "modify the lighting standard" by phasing out steady burning red lights. This lighting can be replaced by flashing red lights, red strobes, or white strobes.

"Based on the new published bird-friendly standards, especially for lighting, the FCC should implement proposed rulemaking submitted for public comment in 2007," Manville said. The FCC has not yet implemented the memorandum of understanding required by Executive Order 13186, although arguably they are an independent Federal commission rather than a Federal agency. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission -- another independent Federal commission -- is about to sign an MOU with the Service under the Executive Order.

"The public needs to better understand the documented impacts of communications towers on migratory birds, published in the U.S. literature since at least 1949, as well as what can be done to significantly reduce bird take," Manville said. "With the new lighting research findings, this should be a priority."

The public can provide comments to the FCC on scoping concerning their Antenna Structure Registry database. Comments are due to the FCC by no later than January 14, 2011.

Nebraska Situation

The Ecological Services Office of the F.W.S. regularly reviews applications for communication and cellular towers. The agency provides recommendations during the planning process for any regulated tower.

During the past couple of months, about 12-15 reviews have been conducted, mostly for cellular towers, according to Martha Tacha, an agency biologist in Nebraska.

"Only three of these towers were not self-supporting or did not address agency recommendations up front," she said.

The USFWS has a set of recommended measures that should be included in tower construction, and the following list is a summary, used for a recent evaluation:

1. Collocate with a nearby tower or other existing structure, if one exists.

2. Construct a tower less than 199 feet above ground level. Try to keep all towers unguyed, monopole or lattice-supported, and unlit. If a taller tower is built that uses guy-wires, install bird deflectors on the wires to reduce the potential for bird collisions. The deflectors should be maintained as long as the tower is present.

3. Where possible under FAA standards, the tower should not be lit. If lights are needed, the agency recommends the use of flashing white or red strobe lights or blinking red incandescent lighting to be used as aircraft warning beacons. Use of steady-burning red lights should be avoided whenever possible.

4. An self-standing tower should not be built within one mile of any wetlands, wet meadows or riverine habitats.

5. The new tower should be designed to accommodate at least two additional users.

6. Security lighting should be down-shielded to keep light within the boundary of the site. Security lights should be motion or heat activated, not left "on" all night.

7. If the tower is constructed, there was a request to allow USFWS and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and/or their contractors to conduct dead-bird searches on a regular or irregular basis. If such studies are conducted by independent contractors or tower consultants, studies should be coordinated with the USFWS Field Office, appropriate permits acquired where necessary, and results should be provided to USFWS and the Commission.

8. Within one month after construction is completed, post-construction photographs and a signed statement that the above conservation measures were implemented, need to be provided to the F.W.S. and F.C.C.

9. The tower and building should be removed once the facility is no longer in use or is abandoned.

The agency has recently added additional requirements that any projects done during the bird breeding survey, should have surveys done to "determine the absence or presence of breeding birds and their nests." Also, what avoidance measures that can be implemented to avoid the take of migratory birds.

Our office "is not aware of any studies of tower kills in Nebraska," Tacha said.

"It is important to have this kind of information."

A Tally of Towers and Towerkills

More than 100,000 communication towers are estimated as occurring within the United States. These structures range in height from 200 to more than 800 feet. There is an estimated annual growth of 7-10 percent.

Each of these towers are registered with the Federal Communications Commission, making it possible to evaluate their occurrence and extent. The best site to view tower type and location is the towerkill.com website, which provides a map for each state in the continental U.S., and a tally of the types of towers present in 1998, 2004 and 2001.

The following summary for four states in the northern Great Plains, readily shows the increase in towers, based upon a comparison of 1998 to 2010, as summarized from the towerkill.com information.

Kansas	1998	2010
200-299 feet	342	535
300-499 feet	599	1002
500-799 feet	60	71
800+ feet	14	40
	1015	1648
Nebraska
200-299 feet	212	330
300-499 feet	344	560
500-799 feet	35	44
800+ feet	31	34
	622	968
South Dakota
200-299 feet	149	209
300-499 feet	142	241
500-799 feet	18	26
800+ feet	19	21
	328	497
North Dakota
200-299 feet	200	260
300-499 feet	179	342
500-799 feet	17	27
800+ feet	19	19
	415	648
Overall
200-299 feet	903	1334
300-499 feet	1264	2145
500-799 feet	130	168
800+ feet	83	114
Total	2380	3761

Increasing numbers are readily apparent for other states and regions.

Examples of Bird Mortality

There are several prominent examples of bird mortality at communication towers. Some examples include:

1948: a large kill at a radio tower near Baltimore, Maryland

1955 and for 29 subsequent years: a minimum of 42,384 records, representing 189 species at a television tower at the Tall Timbers Research Station in northern Florida

1957 and for the subsequent 38 years: nearly 121,560 records for 123 species

1963: more than 12,000 birds retrieved from the base of a tall television tower in Eau Clair, Wisconsin

1972: reports of single night kills exceeding 1000 birds at television towers in Tennessee and Florida

1982 and subsequent years: variable numbers from 4,782 in 1982 to 6 in 1992 at three tall television towers in Buffalo, New York;

1983: 320 casualties, representing 40 species, during September 12-16, at the KCNA-TV Tower in Boone County, Nebraska; the specimens are now in the collection at Wayne State College.

2003-2005: multiple tower study, with 203 birds noted in spring 2005 at 24 towers, and 173 during the autumn at the same towers

2005: On September 7-8 and also on September 13-14, an estimated 400 birds killed each night at the 1,100 foot WMTV tower near Madison, Wisconsin.

2005: more than 500 killed in a three-night period during October at an 1,100 foot height tower near West Monroe, New York.

Further information on additional known tower kills is readily available at numerous online sources.

Based upon the extensive number of known towers of varying heights, and the relative few reports, it is obvious that little information is available on the probable, and wide-spread occurrence of mortality. The recent studies in Michigan are an exception, and further indicate how dangerous towers can be for migratory birds of many sorts. Similar results would result from similar efforts wherever towers occur.

Significant Milestones in Historic Ornithology Compilation

While adding records of historical notations for birds in northern America, there were two significant milestones achieved in latter December.

Because of references found on internet archive sites, further records of bird specimens for 1880 and later were discovered. Once one particular reference was evaluated, there were an additional 496 records added to the database of records. In order to suitably add the observations, more than 75 new distinct site names were also added.

Both of these items increased the number of records and extent of coverage for this compilation of birds records for the region of America from Panama northward. Nearly every record is also based upon an observation made more than 125 years before present.

Specimen Catalogue

The most recent publication reviewed was a catalogue of birds, eggs and nests in the collection of the Greene Smith Museum, of Peterboro, New York, as published in 1880. Someone compiled the contents within 48 cases of material.

Smith was the son of a "New York reformer, philanthropist and abolitionist Gerrit Smith," and "was an avid sportsman and early conservationist who established a distinguished legacy as a self-taught expert ornithologist and taxidermist."

There were 486 usable records representing more than 320 species, which included an identification, and very importantly, the date and location for the record. Each record was entered into a database and designated to a particular site.

Information on eggs and nests was not usable since no dates were given.

This publication was found online at the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Resources found here and at other places are essential in any effort to evaluate historic ornithology since they provide sources which can be found by careful searching. Many of the older publications noted by such an effort would have never been located using the bibliographic options available even five years ago.

Interesting Details

An essential aspect of the specimen records are the many different localities indicated as the source of the collection's material. The catalogue has items from the Baja Peninsula (lower California) and elsewhere in Mexico, the Bahama Islands, Disco Island along the coast of western Greenland. There are 26 states represented, with the larger number of records from these states:

Illinois, including Calumet, Cook County and six other localities: 95 records

New York (14 localities): 87

Texas (11 localities: 66

Florida (12 localities): 61

Some of the records have a vague location designated (i.e., Atlantic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean), but nonetheless are a part of the historic record.

What is interesting is that some of the dates for specimens match notations from other references, and are useful in indicating a possible source of specimens, during an era when correspondents exchanged material in their individual effort to establish their personal collection. Specimens were also sold, as shown in ads in the early ornithological publications.

Interesting Species

Species represented the most in the entered records are the Song Sparrow, Greater Prairie-Chicken, Northern Bobwhite, Ruffed Grouse, Horned Lark and Song Sparrow.

Among the distinctive records from the catalogue notations for four rare or now extinct species.

Carolina Parakeet: specimen from 26 Feb 1877 at Bayport, Florida

Eskimo Curlew: specimen from 19 Mar 1878 at Gainesville, Texas

Ivory-billed Woodpecker: specimen from 17 Mar 1876 at Hernando Co., Fla.

Whooping Crane: specimen 21 Mar 1871 from Champaign, Ills.; this record is perplexing due to the northerly locality in early spring. Though this would not be expected, based on more contemporary information, having a specimen adds to the credibility of the record.

These records are just a few of the interesting details derived from this particular source. Add in the whole set of information and there is information available but not yet obvious on the occurrence and distribution during a period of ca. 10,000 years.

Another similar source awaits analysis and data entry is another catalogue, this one from Europe, which lists the 6006 specimens in the Hugh Edwin Strickland collection. A preliminary review indicates there are records from Carlisle, Pennsylvania as provided by S.F. Baird, and items from Jamaica and Guatemala.

Among the specimens in the Oxford Museum of Natural History, are some from Northern America, and which are available to review and consider in any evaluation of species records for the continent.

None of these three sources have been noted as being previously evaluated for their contribution to the continental avifauna. They certainly have essential details of occurrence.

Scout Projects Enhance Resort for Nature in Omaha

Autumn was an active time at Omaha's Heron Haven as numerous Boy Scouts were completing their Eagle Scout projects.

"Heron Haven is a local treasure which the scouts' efforts have made even more special," said Ione Werthman, the guiding force, site manager and overall visionary for the nature area near 119th and Old Maple Road. "We are a volunteer-run area, and any projects can help improve our area. I am very proud of the fabulous jobs the scouts did."

Heron Haven comprises 25 acres at a site which, in 1991 was slated to become an apartment complex.

It is now a wetland resort for nature, providing educational and learning opportunities for schools, scouts and church groups as an important and essential part of its mission.

There were at least a dozen scouts, from different Omaha troops, which recently finished their projects, Werthman said. "We've had six one year, and three or four other years, so the boy's effort this year were exceptional."

There have been about 30 scout projects done on the area in the past ten years, Werthman noted.

Particular projects she mentioned, included:

Frank McKenzies: constructed a chimney swift tower which was placed in an appropriate place. This species has not yet been observed at the haven, but Werthman said she is looking forward to adding it to the site's currently tally of 139 species of birds.

A set of triplets, each completed their own project. Mike Bauwens built six benches, placed along the trail, providing a place for a respite while walking about. His brother Patrick, built 20 bluebird houses which were installed along the dike which is the western boundary of the haven, and along Old Maple Road. The Eastern Bluebird is another species which can hopefully be added to the site's bird list. Ben Bauwens placed wire protection around 22 trees to prevent any beavers from gnawing on them, which could result in their loss.

Mason Hiller made six tree permanent identification signs that were anchored in concrete along the hiking trail, which will be beneficial in noting trees during hikes for visitors as well as helping younger scouts identify trees while getting their nature merit badges.

Philian Hoff improved the parking lot, including eradicating an unwanted invasive species, the Asian reed canary grass.

Stephen Hardesty also worked to get rid of the same unwanted grass, and planted native grasses to add to the "backyard setting" around the nature center.

Andrew Fish cleaned up and widened the hiking trail, and putting pea gravel in place to make the route to the boardwalk, handicap accessible.

Brian Ermal improved and widened the trail, placing wood chips for a good distance through the trees and to the viewing blind near the wetland.

Garrett Barrends built a protection fence railing along a curve in the trail where it is near water, making the route safer for young kids.

Blake Gittler improved the front of the building by removing weeds, putting plastic in place and covering it with pea gravel to inhibit future growth, did some painting and otherwise improved the "front door appeal" of the nature center.

Previous scout projects have been helpful by painting the building, making recycle bins and putting fences around the gardens, Werthman said.

Additional community support was provided by a local resident who donated their former wooden fence, when they were redoing their yard.

Heron Haven relies on volunteers to get things done, as it is supported by memberships and donations.

"I personally invite area residents to Heron Haven to personally observe the wonderful results of the scout projects," Werthman said, adding that "we are trying to get ideas for new projects all the time."