NEBRASKA GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN HOSTED THE GOVERNORS OF IOWA AND MISSOURI THURSDAY TO ASSESS FLOOD PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THE MISSOURI RIVER CORRIDOR.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS LEVEE MAINTENANCE AND MAKING STRUCTURES AS FLOOD RESILIENT AS POSSIBLE ARE KEY.
MORIVER1 OC……..PRIOR TO THAT.” :15
GOVERNOR PILLEN CHALLENGED THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, WHICH MIGHT ALLOW LOW FLOWS AND SUBSEQUENT ICE JAMS TO BE AVERTED.
HE ALSO CALLED FOR UPDATING THE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR WINTER ICE EVENTS, WHICH AFTER SEVERAL DECADES, IS SIGNIFICANTLY OUTDATED.
REYNOLDS SAYS THE DESIGN AND STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCE OF 900 MILES OF MISSOURI RIVER LEVEES ARE BEING EVALUATED.
MORIVER2 OC……..NEED TO BE.” :04
REYNOLDS SAYS NEARLY ALL THE LEVEE DISTRICTS LACK THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS NECESSARY.
THE MISSOURI RIVER GOVERNORS BEGAN MEETING IN THE MIDST OF THE DEVASTING FLOODS OF 2019 AND REYNOLDS SAYS THEIR MAIN FRUSTRATION AT THE TIME WAS THE PACE OF THE RESPONSE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.
MORIVER3 OC……WE’RE DOING THINGS.” :08
IN THE SPRING OF 2019, MELTING SNOW AND RAINFALL COMBINED TO CAUSE THE MISSOURI RIVER TO JUMP ITS BANKS AND QUICKLY FLOOD VAST SWATHS OF WESTERN IOWA AND EASTERN NEBRASKA.
THE GOVERNORS MET IN OMAHA.
Photo provided by Gov. Pillen’s office
L to R: Colonel Robert Newbauer, Governor Jim Pillen, Brigadier General Geoff Van Epps, Governor Kim Reynolds, Colonel Travis Rayfield, and Governor Mike Parson
