Reducing Sediment Load a Key to Addressing Problem
By Howard Paul, executive director

The most common question that is asked of us relative to sediment in the Missouri River reservoirs - is "What can be done to get rid of it?"  Our answer is that we must first reduce the amount of sediment getting into the reservoirs, and we must remove or reduce the amount that is already there, or that does get into them.

The second part of that answer is what most people assume to be accomplished by dredging, or some other means of removal.  We will discuss that in a later edition.  The first, reducing the amount entering the reservoirs, can be accomplished by utilizing proper land and watershed management practices.  In fact, this is a program which has been successfully used.

The benefit is that it not only reduces the amount of sediment getting into the reservoirs, it is also good for the land by reducing erosion of pasture and crop land.

Our guest editors for this edition of the newsletter are all managers of resource conservation districts.  They will discuss the programs, and the successes that have been accomplished.  We thank them for their involvement in this on-going effort to preserve our land, and through those efforts, helping to preserve our Missouri River reservoirs. 

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