Notice of open house for Fort Peck flows study

NOTICE OF OPEN HOUSE

FORT PECK FLOWS STUDY

• Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019 at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, Yellowstone Road, Fort Peck, Montana, 59223

• Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019 at the Williams County Administrative Building, 206 East Broadway, Williston, North Dakota, 58801

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate impacts of potential test flows from Fort Peck Dam related to pallid sturgeon recruitment. Open house public meetings will be held on Tuesday,  Feb. 19, 2019 at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center (Yellowstone Rd) in Fort Peck, Montana and Wednesday,  Feb. 20 at the Williams County Administration Building Commission Room (206 E Broadway) in Williston, North Dakota, each beginning at 5:30 pm.

The open house, which will also serve as a public scoping meeting per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), will give residents and others interested in the project a chance to learn why the study is important, learn what will be done during the study process, learn about the possible benefits, and provide specific concerns and input.  A formal presentation on the study will begin at 6:00 pm, each evening.  For those unable to attend, public meeting materials and opportunities to comment on the study will be available at www.nwo.usace.army.mil/MRRP/.

BACKGROUND: Pallid Sturgeon are a long-lived fish native to the Missouri River, and have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1990.  Scientists and river managers studying Pallid Sturgeon to determine the causes of their population decline have identified regulated river flow from Fort Peck Dam and reduced habitat availability as a likely cause for the observed lack of natural reproduction in the Missouri River between Fort Peck Dam and Garrison Dam. This EIS will assess a range of flow alternatives that 1) may deviate from the USACE Master Manual and 2) are theorized to benefit Pallid Sturgeon, including periods of flows that may affect spawning and recruitment of Pallid Sturgeon. This study is an important component of a more comprehensive Science and Adaptive Management Plan designed to incorporate learning actions into the management of the Missouri River to benefit Pallid Sturgeon.

Anyone with questions about the meeting may contact Tiffany Vanosdall, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at Phone (402) 995-2695 or by email at tiffany.k.vanosdall@usace.army.mil.