Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:
Current Flooding-

• FEMA's "Mississippi Flooding" information, resource and update page: http://1.usa.gov/jNPVjK
• Army Corps to increase releases from Missouri River reservoirs in response to snowmelt and rain http://bit.ly/lRqJTh & http://reut.rs/k0HfIv
• NWS 28-day forecast: Mississippi River to remain at or near 17-foot flood stage until at least June 17 at New Orleans http://bit.ly/jN1ShM

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• Guest Column: Time to invest in a sustainable Mississippi River system http://bit.ly/m0b4vt
• New York Times editorial re: flooding & revisions of Federal water resource planning Principles & Guidelines http://nyti.ms/j1LcI4

Water Quality-

• American Rivers & CNT Guide to Recognizing Green Infrastructure's Economic, Social & Environmental Benefits http://bit.ly/jLPeL9
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Leaders Introduce EPA-Limiting Legislation http://bit.ly/mwlLz5
• 35 Senators send letter to appropriators asking that Clean & Drinking Water State Revolving Funds be preserved http://1.usa.gov/kmfuIn
• Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act introduced in Senate http://1.usa.gov/lQDCVv & House http://1.usa.gov/iYnQgQ

Agriculture -

• UN World Meteorological Organization: Extreme weather will upset global food output during next decade http://bloom.bg/mhXd8p
• Sen. Stabenow, D-MI, Agriculture Committee chair, holding committee's 1st farm bill field hearing today at MI State U http://bit.ly/j0yO3G
• House appropriations comm votes to cut $ for farm subsidy; conservation programs http://tinyurl.com/3hxfqxh & http://tinyurl.com/3ql8ryo
• South Dakota farmer in Op-Ed: “It’s time to declare federal farm subsidies a success and begin phasing them out” http://tinyurl.com/43trjcg
• National Farmers Union President: Farm Bill safety net critical to farm operations after disasters http://tinyurl.com/6gsxq6s
• Op-ed: Tile drainage does good, not harm http://tinyurl.com/3ezu742
• Op-ed: Alterations to natural hydrology are the primary factor in higher river pollution http://tinyurl.com/3c9hpko

In the States -

• Sierra Club sues coal company over Selenium contamination in Kentucky waters http://bit.ly/k5K2zZ

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Missouri Judge Imposes Maximum Fine in Zebra Mussel Case http://bit.ly/lVj5ld and http://bit.ly/lVj5ld
• Minnesota Governor Dayton Signs Bill to Help Fight Aquatic Invasive Species http://tinyurl.com/3m8bwao

Federal Budget -

• House Appropriations Committee Cuts USDA Farm Subsidies and Conservation Funding http://tinyurl.com/3r7xrwe
• House Republicans release FY 2012 Energy and Water spending bill http://tinyurl.com/454t4o8 (pdf file) Committee markup Thursday
• Energy & Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee passes FY 2012 DOE & Army Corps funding bill http://tinyurl.com/454t4o8 (pdf)
• Neither side showing willingness to give ground in White House -GOP budget discussions http://tinyurl.com/43yg5ju

Political Scene -

• Businessman Brad Schneider (D) will challenge potential IL US House redistricting target, Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL-10) http://bit.ly/lFvBFM
• Iowa-1st state to finish redistricting & pass new Congressional map-will see several competitive 2012 House races http://bit.ly/kqhnyo
• IL state House on Monday passed aggressive new congressional redistricting plan spearheaded by Democrats http://bit.ly/mKouC0
• At least six US House seats now considered in play thanks to Illinois redistricting http://tinyurl.com/3qc3rsb
• "Louisiana is an ultra-red state" even after US House district redistricting http://bit.ly/jZooGI

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Mississippi River flooding worsens Gulf of Mexico environment  http://bit.ly/k9ZyGJ
• NY Times: Largest-Ever Dead Zone "Disaster in the Making" for Gulf Coastal seafood industry http://nyti.ms/lo7UjR
• Louisiana pancake batfish on Top 10 list of new species discovered in 2010 http://bit.ly/j30HrX
• At House subcommittee hearing Scientists urge renewal of algal bloom, dead zone research; statements here: http://tinyurl.com/4yx2am7
• White House releases draft National Ocean's policy http://tinyurl.com/3fwjh3l

Other news-

• New American Rivers climate-water report: "Weathering Change: Policy Reforms that Save Money & Make Communities Safer" http://bit.ly/la9gAm

Last word - "All of the oxygen in Washington is being breathed up by this problem." - U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1), referring to the national debt and budget deficit, to attendees of the National Dairy Producers Conference in Omaha, Nebraska