Purpose
The Effects Analysis (EA) ensures the Missouri River Recovery Program (MRRP) incorporates the best available scientific information into decisions by conceptualizing and quantifying the effects of Missouri River system operations and MRRP actions on the listed species.
Key Players
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working on the EA with a multidisciplinary team of experts from:
- U.S. Geological Survey
- USACE’s Engineering Research and Development Center
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
This effort is also being highly coordinated with the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee and the Independent Science Advisory Panel.
Specific Goals
The EA is designed to assess the current status of the listed species and the effectiveness of management actions on influencing the listed species population trends. This analysis will also inform several key portions of the Management Plan and the plan’s future implementation within an adaptive management framework, including, but not limited to:
- Refine conceptual ecological models to guide development of hypotheses and quantitative models
- Identify hypothesized factors contributing to species population dynamics
- Inform species objectives targets
- Compile and assess pertinent scientific and operational information
- Develop quantitative models for forecasting the effect of different actions on listed species performance
Evolving As We Learn More
- The products of this analysis are an initial, fundamental step in an ongoing process. They will be used and modified through time to ensure our understanding and actions are similarly evolving and improving.
- As analyses are completed, their results will help guide the development and implementation of the overall Management Plan and the associated adaptive management process.
- The conclusions and lessons learned will contribute to a better understanding of USACE actions and species response and continue to inform future MRRP actions.