Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week ("Early Edition")

Early Edition Released! 
Since your FNB ("Friendly Neighborhood Blogger") will be in travel mode the next two days, here is the "Early Edition" of this week's "Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week."  This edition will be updated with new news items during the rest of the week, as warranted and as time allows.

Shameless Plug
First a blatant plug and advertisement for what I'll be doing the next two days, which is presenting a talk entitled "The Once and Future King" at the "Experiments on Rivers: The Consequences of Dams-An Interdisciplinary Conference;" being held on Thursday and Friday, November 11-12, at the University of Minnesota's Institute for Advanced Study in Minneapolis.  The conference is free and open to the public, however, space is limited and pre-registration is advised. You may register by contacting the Institute for Advanced Study at ias@umn.edu or 612-626-5054.   The conference goal is to raise questions and explore complexities, to provoke reflection from consideration of new perspectives, and to suggest future lines of inquiry in diverse disciplines and practices.  So, it will be a great conference to attend even if you don't care to listen to yours truly. For more information about the conference, including a full agenda, visit here. 

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

In the States -

• Legacy of manufacturing gas plant pollution lies across Wisconsin http://bit.ly/9rSAyD
• Citizens for the Future of Pekin group calls IL pork processing plant a "serious threat" http://bit.ly/bSUfov
• University of Louisville (KY) seeking a 'greener' profile  http://bit.ly/bviPiE
• Obama admin threatens to take back WI high-speed rail money http://nyti.ms/c03zPd
• Iowa voters approve ballot measure; Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund to be created http://bit.ly/cKWMrb

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• "The Once and Future King"- NEMWI talk at "Consequences of Dams-An Interdisciplinary Conference" Minneapolis; Friday http://bit.ly/9zYsqN

Agriculture -

• When it comes to influencing how farmers grow their crops, the real power may someday be Walmart not Congress http://bit.ly/aOArVm
• Mid-term election has farmers across country nervous about what that might mean for 2012 Farm Bill http://bit.ly/cMGbYZ
• Conditions are right for a bubble in farmland real estate values http://reut.rs/altdAb
• H2O scarcity to generate big returns for irrigation sector once climate change & population take toll on farming http://reut.rs/aWbr9A
• Groups file suit to overturn EPA decision allowing higher gasoline ethanol levels; say it could push up food prices http://bit.ly/c2twL9

Events -

• U of MN's "Experiments on Rivers: The Consequences of Dams-An Interdisciplinary Conference" Thurs & Fri http://bit.ly/bINSV2

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Minnesota-Wisconsin Invasive Species Summit; 2 states plan to share resources to fight invasives http://bit.ly/9rUv0w
• MN DNR Invasive Species Program offering 3 types of Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Grants http://bit.ly/aqXcbG

Other news -

• ITT Value of H2O Survey: poll of US voters & industrial & agricultural businesses http://bit.ly/aHrynN & pdf file: http://bit.ly/csZfQM
• Marshall Islands plans wall to hold back rising sea levels (engineering primer for New Orleans?) http://ind.pn/cswLsj
• Nominations for America’s Most Endangered River deadline Nov .15 (PDF of instructions & nomination form: http://bit.ly/bTkrj1)
• Tens of thousands of turbines could someday tap the Mississippi River's power http://bit.ly/bpLKmE
• EDF's latest issue of Delta Dispatches with latest Gulf Coast restoration news is now online: http://bit.ly/aQumBx
• National Water Quality Monitoring Council's fall newsletter now posted online: http://bit.ly/aCo96a

Mississippi River Basin politics -

• House Ag Comm Chair Peterson lobbying Senate Budget Committee Chair Conrad to become Chair of Senate Ag Comm  http://bit.ly/9x1cGV
• Sen. Conrad to reporters: may step down as Senate Budget Comm Chair to become Ag Comm Chair http://bit.ly/cn5BGV
• For KY House seat Rep. Ben Chandler's (D) 649-vote lead looks to hold with only recanvass to be completed http://bit.ly/9krS8h
• Likely recount battle ahead in Minnesota governor's race http://bit.ly/bJzy5N
• Rep. Bean (D) trails Joe Walsh (R) by 347 for IL House seat; Few absentee ballots remain in Dem-friendly Cook Co; Walsh declares victory.
• Rep. Rahall (D-WV) seeks to become ranking Democrat on House Transportation & Infrastructure Comm http://bit.ly/9uvKSh
• Dramatic change in House Ag Comm & new House & Senate Ag Comm leaders may change congressional ag focus http://bit.ly/coPSJZ