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Corps official supports long-term plans with governors

A fourth meeting of governors with Corps of Engineer officials has taken place on the management of the Missouri River with short term flooding assistance and a long-term plan the goals.

The Kansas City District Administrator tells Brownfield the Corps is fully on board, “We’ve been challenged, you know, what are we going to do different this time? And we’re working hard with the states to figure out what steps can we take to address the long term situation.” says Colonel Doug Guttormsen, who Brownfield interviewed Tuesday.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson, fresh from the meeting Wednesday with the governors of Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, says they all believe a system needs to be developed, “I think we need to recognize it as a system, as a federal system. And I think that will help us long term. Congress can do that and we’re going to be reaching out to our representatives and senators to try to see if they would do that. I think there’s an opportunity, maybe, to get that done.”

The governors expressed their concerns about the extra releases from Gavins Point Dam and the effects on their states. As for Missouri, Parson says, “We’re just trying to hold our own here in Missouri. We’re just fighting every day to try to make sure these levees stay in place and trying to sand-bag all over the state right now.”