Mississippi River Basin Blog: January 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Compromise Farm Bill Clears House, Setting Up Senate Passage

Spending by Category in 2014 Farm Bill
(click to enlarge)

On January 29, the House passed a compromise House-Senate Conference Committee farm bill, on a 251-166 roll call vote. The measure's passage signals an imminent end to what has been a tortuous two-year process, and sets up a vote in the Senate next week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has scheduled a procedural vote for Monday on the farm bill. If at least 60 senators vote to end debate, the Senate will then proceed to a vote on final passage; likely on Tuesday.

The bill would cost $956 billion to implement over 10 years, cutting $2.3 billion a year overall from current spending levels, including $400 million in annual food stamp (or "SNAP" benefit) cuts, and eliminating direct subsidy payments to farmers made regardless of whether they had a successful or bad crop year.For an overview of the bill and what it will mean from nutrition, farm conservation and economic perspectives, see the articles below, under "Farm Bill," and our updated farm bill summary and resources page, here.

Bill to Restructure Landmark 2012 Flood Insurance Law Moves Through Senate

Much of the Senate's time this week was focussed on consideration and, ultimately, Thursday's passage of S.1926, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (introduced by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)). The measure passed easily, on a 67-32 vote, and had particularly strong support from both Democratic and Republican coastal lawmakers. It would delay for four years the implementation of certain provisions of the 2012 Flood Insurance Reform Act, including rate increases intended to help the National Flood Insurance Program become financially solvent by bringing rates more in line with actual flooding risks. The intent of the 2012 Act was, in part, to provide insurance premium rates that accurately reflect flood risk, based on the understanding that higher insurance costs are necessary to signal actual risk.

The legislation passed by the Senate this week is opposed by many federal budget watchdog and environmental organizations, and faces an uncertain fate in the House, where fiscal conservatives would likely vote against the bill (should it reach the House floor). To read more on the issue, including a list of outside resources, you can see an NFIP background piece, here ("The National Flood Insurance Program: Background and 2012 Reform").

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Wisconsin State Sen. Cowles introduces state bill to encourage industry to fund farm pollution (phosphorus) reduction ow.ly/t4y5l and ow.ly/t4ygH
Community and environmental groups seek to strengthen Iowa's Clean Water Act large-scale livestock operator rules ow.ly/t4vbI
Research shows arsenic, mercury and selenium in lower Illinois River Asian carp, but not at health concern levels ow.ly/t4mG4
EPA Awards Almost $9 Million in Grants to Researchers Working to Improve Water Quality http://ow.ly/t6ZSl

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -

New York Times: Senate Passes Bill to Delay Spike in Flood Insurance Rates http://ow.ly/t8Ov5
President pushes Congress to approve new funding for roads, ports (i.e., WRDA) by summer during State of the Union ow.ly/t48p0
New York Times: Popular flood insurance law is target of both political parties ow.ly/t47Dr
Army Corps of Engineers to seek bids for major lock rehabilitation at Olmsted Dam on Ohio River in Kentucky ow.ly/t2KnF
Army Corps of Engineers faces potential lawsuit over claims that changes to Missouri River management have led to flood damage http://ow.ly/t6Ej2
Oklahoma has agreed to let a North Texas water district once again pump water from Lake Texoma ow.ly/t2Ijr
Kansas House panel explores idea of aqueduct across Kansas to move Missouri River water (south) to parched Southwestern Kansas http://ow.ly/t6Dtu
Proposal gains momentum to pipe water (north) from Missouri River to augment Red River Valley water supplies http://ow.ly/t6DXs

Farm Bill-

New York Times: House Approves Farm Bill, Ending a 2-Year Impasse http://ow.ly/t6huD
Here is how the House roll call vote passing the farm bill broke out (by member and party): ow.ly/t4G9f
Farm bill should save about $23 billion over 10 years, though falling corn prices could change that http://ow.ly/t6pyp
Forestry provisions of farm bill draws praise from both conservationists and loggers ow.ly/t4kFK
Joint Nature Conservancy/National Corn Growers Association Op-ed: "Farm bill gets it right on conservation" ow.ly/t48JX
Wall Street Journal editorial board includes a negative piece on the Farm Bill in Wednesday's paper ow.ly/t46h2
Final farm bill has wins for conservation, renewable energy (Ecology and Environment bill summary) ow.ly/t2wBa

Agriculture -

UN report: Demand for new cropland may soon exceed levels beyond which there is irreversible and abrupt environmental change ow.ly/t4BmZ
Iowa Farmer Today: Nutrient reduction is long-term effort http://ow.ly/t6CTP
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association urges withdrawal of proposed cut to amount of ethanol to be blended into gasoline ow.ly/t4w1M
Corn belt House members call for meeting with President to discuss "proposed renewable fuels volume obligations" ow.ly/t4qhh

Climate and Weather -

Click to Enlarge

NOAA weekly drought update: significant precipitation deficits mount in Louisiana; no changes in northern and central Mississippi River Valley: http://ow.ly/q3w3u

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center monthly drought outlook (February outlook will be published at the end of the month) http://ow.ly/q3yAx

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Getting ready for Nebraska's annual Sandhill Crane migration ow.ly/t2Mj5
North Dakota Game and Fish Department mid-winter waterfowl survey counts about half the number of Canada geese, mallards than last year http://ow.ly/t6ECg
As Monarch butterfly population decline becomes entrenched, annual migration (mostly from U.S. Midwest) is imperiled http://ow.ly/t6KUr
Also see: http://ow.ly/t6LQg Monarch butterfly — Minnesota’s state insect — is facing dire population declines

In the Cities -

First of three articles exploring role of Mississippi riverfront for future of Minneapolis-St. Paul

region http://ow.ly/t6CAL
Mayors repackage old suggestions into renewed request to President for federal help with failing water infrastructure http://ow.ly/t6zns
Opening of New Orleans recreational area along the Mississippi River delayed by soil contamination ow.ly/t4HFF
Davenport, Iowa will research possibility of privatizing its sewer system ow.ly/t4zz8
New Orleans: houses can be rebuilt after storms and flooding, but can trust in central government? ow.ly/t4tzP

In the States-

Environmental enforcement at Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources under Gov. Walker lags behind past administrations ow.ly/t4z3r
Senate Bill 373 regulating tanks, protecting water passes West Virginia Senate (WV Public Broadcasting) ow.ly/t4tUw
Iowa Department of Natural Resources collaborating with Iowa Rivers Revival, others, to help improve state waterways ow.ly/t2LL1
Municipalities, business groups backing state bill to delay implementation of Wisconsin phosphorus reduction rules http://ow.ly/t50i1

Louisiana Coastal Region-

Proposed Louisiana strategy for reducing annual “dead zone” off Gulf coast relies heavily on river diversions ow.ly/t2L5q
Louisiana releases new plan to reduce Gulf of Mexico water pollution; environmental groups say plan isn't enough ow.ly/t2HSP

"Shoe" January 30, 2014

Federal Budget -

House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan: Congress will raise federal debt ceiling and prevent a U.S. default http://ow.ly/t6wLH

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar (here as a stand-alone calendar)

Abstract submission deadline for North American Society for Conservation Biology conference (Missoula, MT, July 13-16) is January 31 http://ow.ly/t7vF3
Upper Mississippi River Basin Association meetings scheduled for February 25-26, in Quad Cities (Moline and Rock Island) http://ow.ly/t4JsS
Upcoming St. Croix River watershed activities (compiled by the St. Croix River Association) http://ow.ly/t8TeW

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's River Connections for January 2014 ow.ly/t4uuf
Montana Watershed Coordination Council January 30 Watershed News http://ow.ly/t7rM5
Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy January 30 "TU Waterways" publication http://ow.ly/t8TIM (PDF file)
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Watershed Network News - Jan. 30, 2014 http://ow.ly/t70qz

Other news

GOA: EPA and Interior workforces shrank, even as overall number of federal employees increased from 2004-2012 http://ow.ly/t6yVL (pdf file)
Minnesota River Watershed Alliance votes to continue working on federal Blueway Initiative designation for River, even though program is inactive ow.ly/t2LsD
State Department could release final environmental analysis on controversial Keystone XL pipeline as early as today http://ow.ly/t8Wn7

Politics and People-

Businessman Robert Hubbard announces he will run against House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) ow.ly/t4pai
Oklahoma state House Speaker T.W. Shannon will join the GOP primary to fill retiring Sen. Tom Coburn's seat. bit.ly/1bwMRlb
As farm bill limps toward finish, what's next politically for Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Peterson (D-MN-7) ow.ly/t4j4D
Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson is giving signals that he may be the next incumbent Democrat in a tough district to retire http://ow.ly/t6pdh
Vacancies loom at White House Council on Environmental Quality as Chairwoman Nancy Sutley heads for exit ow.ly/t2J9o
Bob Vander Plaats, Iowa’s leading social conservative activist, hints at Senate run, creating mainstream GOP headache http://ow.ly/t6x5l
Business owner Tom Spangler (D) enters Indiana’s 8th District U.S. House race against Rep. Larry Bucshon (R) http://ow.ly/t6xWr

Last Word -

- Activist, singer and songwriter, Pete Seeger sings "Sailin' Up, Sailin' Down," on August 21, 2010, with Lorre Wyatt and friends gathered aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. Pete Seeger died on Monday at the age of 94.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

The National Flood Insurance Program: Background and 2012 Reform

The following overview and related references are provided for background on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), its history of financial insolvency, and the most recent (2012) substantive attempt to reform the program.

National Flood Insurance Program
Established in 1968 through the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-448), the NFIP

is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for two major objectives: first, to pool risk and help guarantee flood insurance availability; and second, to encourage the development of local floodplain management regulations and building standards that reduce flood risks, damages and costs. Property owners in communities that have adopted FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (known as “FIRMs”) become eligible for NFIP flood insurance policies. The maximum coverage for single- and multi-family dwellings is $250,000. Commercial property owners can purchase policies covering up to $500,000 in losses. Owners of residential properties within designated flood risk areas with federally-backed mortgages are required to purchase NFIP policies.

Unlike typical insurance policies (such as automobile or homeowner’s insurance), where insurers issue policies with risk-based premiums (i.e., policyholders that are more at risk pay more for their insurance coverage), the actual premiums that policyholders pay for flood insurance do not accurately reflect their property’s flooding risk. This is because FEMA administers the NFIP by providing only limited (capped) coverage and by subsidizing many policies, including properties that are most at risk of flooding and buildings built prior to the adoption of FIRMs.

Flood Insurance Premium Subsidies

As NFIP was first being implemented in the 1970s, premium subsidies were believed to be necessary because property owners in higher flood-risk areas could not accurately estimate flood risk (no flood insurance rate maps were available), and because the prospect of receiving subsidies was thought to provide an incentive for local communities to participate in the NFIP (by developing local floodplain management regulations and building standards). It was the intent of the federal government to phase out insurance premium subsidies as local floodplain management practices were strengthened.

Had that phase-out occurred as intended, the NFIP should have ultimately reduced the federal government’s responsibility for flood losses. However, rate subsidies have remained in place, and the NFIP has become financially insolvent while failing to meet the original 1968 Act objectives (noted above). (When it cannot fulfill its claim responsibilities, the FEMA borrows money from the U.S. Treasury to pay its NFIP claims.)

National Flood Insurance Act Amendments

The NFIP has been amended several times since 1968 (including in 1973, 1982, 1994 and 2004). Most recently, the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 reauthorized the NFIP through September 30, 2017, and amended the 1968 law in an effort to improve the NFIP’s financial solvency and limit federal exposure to flood loss costs (the Biggert-Waters Act became law under Public Law No: 112-141). The intent of the Act is to provide insurance premium rates that accurately reflect flood risk, based on the understanding that higher insurance costs are necessary to signal actual risk.

Based on flood risks represented by FIRMs, the Biggert-Waters Act would eliminate federal insurance subsidies and reduce a cap on annual premium increases, thus making flood insurance premiums more realistically risk-based than in the past. The Biggert-Waters Act also would eliminate insurance payments for properties that experience severe repetitive flooding losses.

Flood Insurance Rate Maps

FIRMs are used in part to determine flood insurance rates, control floodplain development through establishment of building codes, and communicate flood risk to the public. However, FIRMs are based on retrospective evaluations of past conditions and have been shown to be inaccurate predictors of future flood risk. This inherent inaccuracy has been a major challenge to FEMA as it attempts to determine accurate flood risks and associated insurance rates. Further, the inaccurate maps communicate a misleading message to property owners and local planning officials, as they attempt estimate risks related to developing, building or staying in flood-prone areas.

FEMA is currently in the process of updating its maps through a Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (or “Risk MAP”) process designed to “deliver quality data that increases public awareness and leads to action that reduces risk to life and property,” according to FEMA. The Risk MAP updates will almost certainly increase the number of properties that fall under the purview of NFIP, but will also very likely still underestimate the number of people and properties at risk of flooding; in part because Risk MAP updates are not permitted to incorporate future climate change-influenced flooding scenarios (predicated upon rising sea levels, or increased storm intensities, for example).

-------------------------------

Additional resources

King, Rawle O. February 2013. “The National Flood Insurance Program: Status and Remaining Issues for Congress.” Congressional Research Service Report No. R428450. The report identifies and presents some key flood management issues for congressional consideration, and concludes with a discussion of policy options for the future financial management of flood hazards.
AECOM, 2013 (for the Federal Emergency Management Agency). “The Impact of Climate Changeand Population Growth on the National Flood Insurance Program.” The report in part evaluates the likely impact of climate change and population growth on the National Flood Insurance Program.
FEMA. September 24, 2013. “Community Rating System (CRS) and Their Classes.” Provides an overview of the voluntary Community Rating System program for National Flood Insurance Program-participating communities.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

New USGS Internet Portal Provides Access to More Than a Century of Sediment Data
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has

Suspended sediment sampling locations
(click to enlarge)

announced the availability of a new online, interactive, sediment data portal that was developed by NAWQA to improve the utility and accessibility of USGS suspended-sediment data collected from more than 4,900 stream sites across the Nation. The portal is intended to provide easy access to high quality, suspended sediment data, along with ancillary information on streamflow condition, sediment grain size, sampling method, and landscape conditions.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Concerns continue over transporting fracking waste on the Ohio River in wake of West Virginia chemical spill http://ow.ly/sRPIa
USGS working closely with Tribes around the country to address water availability and water quality issues on Tribal lands http://ow.ly/sUruT

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -

Big drop in Missouri River water levels over the decades becoming critical problem for water utilities, bridges, levees http://ow.ly/sMV1Q
Flood insurance costs rising in North Dakota http://ow.ly/sMVuW
Wisconsin River Power Company will begin drawing down flowages on the Wisconsin River in February http://ow.ly/sMWfQ
Residents who live near the Missouri River in Bismarck have rejected a proposal to fund a flood protection levee http://ow.ly/sPhDK
Arkansas River barge traffic in Crawford County at standstill because of overhead railroad bridge damage http://ow.ly/sRQtN
State Department of Natural Resources plans for a major study on groundwater in central Wisconsin http://ow.ly/sSgak

Farm Bill-

Best shot for farm bill passage: filing bill on Monday night; setting up quick Wednesday House vote http://ow.ly/sUtNN
Farm bill negotiators are struggling with two final issues: dairy and payment limits http://ow.ly/sUtkV
Agreement on a five-year farm bill may be announced soon, according to Sen. Joe Donnelly (D., Ind.) http://ow.ly/sPfI4

Agriculture -

American Farmland Trust report: Increased state farmland preservation funding fails to stem development http://ow.ly/sO1Uk (report here: http://ow.ly/sO28t)
Semi-annual farmland values study suggests the market for farmland could be leveling off, or in some cases, softening http://ow.ly/sPfZS

January 21 Drought Monitor Map
(click to enlarge)

Climate and Weather -

NOAA weekly national drought monitor update: slight drought expansion in Louisiana and adjacent Mississippi http://ow.ly/q3w3u
NOAA reports that 2013 was globally the 4th-warmest year ever recorded http://ow.ly/sPh4H

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Minnesota hopeful for more time to battle Asian carp in Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers http://ow.ly/sMVJO
American White Pelicans spending winter along Arkansas River in Tulsa's warmer climate http://ow.ly/sPhjx
Bowhunters invited to shoot as many Asian carp as possible in July Illinois River competition, central Illinois http://ow.ly/sRQex

In the Cities -

Memphis to install wastewater treatment improvements aimed at reducing pollution in the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/sMVWo
Groups say Baton Rouge, LA Mayor Holden and his administration are not making enough changes to protect environment http://ow.ly/sMX9b

Federal Budget -

President Obama will deliver his fiscal 2015 budget a month late on March 4 http://ow.ly/sUu8v
Federal officials can't spend money on Missouri River environmental study for 3rd straight year under spending bill http://ow.ly/sNtsD
Treasury Secretary suggests that Congress needs to raise the debt limit in the next 16 days http://ow.ly/sRN2t

Resource Development -

Public hears from environmental and health experts on the potential impact of frac sand mining in Winona, MN http://ow.ly/sMWTj

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -

Bi-weekly Green Lands Blue Waters update, highlighting Mississippi River Basin Continuous Living Cover on agricultural land http://ow.ly/sPgFe
Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's January 22 "TUWaterWays" edition (PDF file) http://ow.ly/sUv30
Interesting 42-minute, 1930s video of the Upper Mississippi River lock and dam system http://ow.ly/sRO56 (video embedded below)

Other news-

EPA Announces Nearly $5 Million in Grants to Support Research to Protect Urban Watersheds with Green Infrastructure http://ow.ly/sO32i
Op-ed: Missouri River floodway is the worst location to dump coal ash http://ow.ly/sPhwC
Less than a week remains to comment on the EPA's proposed cuts to the Renewable Fuels Standard http://ow.ly/sRNjr
Job announcement: Executive Director - Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Louisiana ow.ly/sRNCA
Summer job position: Aquatic Field Technician, Illinois River Biological Station http://ow.ly/sUslQ

Politics and People-

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) announced Tuesday he will run for Louisiana governor in 2015 http://ow.ly/sNIEV
Oklahoma Rep. James Lankford announces that he will seek to fill Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R) U.S. Senate seat http://ow.ly/sMR9l
Omaha attorney David Domina gives Democrats their first candidate by entering race for Nebraska's open Senate seat: http://bit.ly/1jqHFVv
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV-3) to get primary challenge from Major Richard Ojeda: http://bit.ly/1jqOB52
Former state Sen. Kelly Kultala (D) announces she'll run against incumbent GOP Rep. Kevin Yoder (KS-3) http://bit.ly/1mEIXyQ

Last Word -

"The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing." - Pulitzer prize-winning American novelist, short story writer and designer, Edith Wharton, who was born on this date in 1862.

Friday, January 17, 2014

New USGS Internet Portal Provides Access to More Than a Century of Sediment Data

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has announced the availability of a new online, interactive, sediment data portal that was developed by NAWQA to improve the utility and accessibility of USGS suspended-sediment data collected from more than 4,900 stream sites across the Nation.

The portal is intended to provide easy access to high quality, suspended sediment data, along with ancillary information on streamflow condition, sediment grain size, sampling method, and landscape conditions.

Suspended sediment sampling locations
(click to enlarge)

Suspended sediment is a basic and fundamental characteristic related to the quality of streams. Excessive stream sediments can affect aquatic biota, limit reservoir storage capacity, and transport nutrients and some potentially toxic contaminants. In some instances, too little suspended sediment can also be harmful; resulting in the loss of critical wetlands, for example.

A USGS Data report (DS776) describes the methods used to recover, quality control, and summarize the USGS suspended-sediment data through 2010.

USGS is soliciting feedback on and any improvements that might be made to the portal. Comments, suggestions and questions can be forwarded to Bill Wilber, Chief of the USGS NAWQA Program, at wgwilber@usgs.gov or 703-648-6878.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Spending Bill Delays Flood Insurance Rate Hikes While Related Legislation Progresses In Senate

Within the federal omnibus fiscal year 2014 spending bill passed by Congress this week is a provision that will suspend until November 2014 flood insurance premium rate increases under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); rate hikes due to be implemented under NFIP revisions enacted in 2012 (in the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012). The omnibus language retains scheduled premium increases for vacation houses, for businesses and for frequently-flooded properties, as well as a requirement that drops federal insurance subsidies whenever a home is sold.

In the meantime, 30 Senate co-sponsors, mostly from coastal states, are backing the "Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act" (S. 1846), (introduced by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)). That bill would delay for four years the implementation of certain provisions of the 2012 Flood Insurance Reform Act, including rate increases intended to help the NFIP become financially solvent by bringing rates more in line with actual flooding risks. The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act may see formal Senate consideration as early as this month.

For those wanting additional background on the issue, we offer this overview and related references on the NFIP, its history of financial insolvency, and the most recent (2012) substantive attempt to reform the program.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

GAO Report: "Clean Water Act: Changes Needed If Key EPA Program Is to Help Fulfill the Nation's Water Quality Goals" ow.ly/sBmzB
WRI studies USDA landscape water quality initiative targeting critical watersheds; finds the project has serious potential ow.ly/sz07b
StateImpact: "Chicken Pollution? Poultry Farms and the Illinois River" (Arkansas and Oklahoma) http://ow.ly/sDY4s
Reps. Latta (R-Ohio) and Walz (D-Minn.) propose bill aiming to maximize wastewater treatment improvements http://ow.ly/sDRYo (bill here: http://ow.ly/sDS3H)
Republican rider to omnibus spending bill loosens EPA oversight of waste fill in streams - ow.ly/sEqO5

West Virginia Spill

Authorities monitor Kanawha River, West Virginia spill chemical as it moves into Ohio River ow.ly/swEYK
Governor's critics say water crisis 'pulls back the curtain' on West Virginia water threats ow.ly/sx9Xv
Slow return to normal in spill-plagued West Virginia ow.ly/sBJBj
West Virginia Public Broadcasting: "7 things we know about the chemical spill in West Virginia" ow.ly/sBJVY

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -

Melting snow makes barge travel easier on the Mississippi River ow.ly/sz0mZ
Omnibus spending bill offers reprieve until November for coastal property owners facing flood insurance rate increase ow.ly/sBLEM
Public outcry prompts delay in some of the scheduled federal flood insurance rate hikes ow.ly/sBTzZ
Despite high Mississippi River, Caernarvon Diversion remains closed to the possible detriment of downstream wetlands ow.ly/sBPqO
Fishing community raises objections to about $30 million planned for 2015 Mississippi River sediment diversions ow.ly/sBVoz
Army Corps to contract out marine rock placement on Mississippi River backwater to create environmental habitat http://ow.ly/sDLaC
Rep. Luetkemeyer (R-MO) lauds spending bill provision prohibiting funding of Army Corps' Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan implementation http://ow.ly/sDLvx
Members of Illinois’ congressional delegation wants Army Corps to fix portions of a Mississippi River levee http://ow.ly/sGdtM
Cozad Canal rehabilitation work objectives are to increase Platte River flows and protect endangered species http://ow.ly/sGf7S

Farm Bill-

Opinion article: Conservation programs represent "The 'Good' Part of the Farm Bill" ow.ly/stiWt
Agriculture lawmakers return to another week of farm bill negotiations after talks stalled last week ow.ly/swCDY
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) hints of dairy issue breakthrough in farm bill negotiations http://ow.ly/sGbx9

Agriculture -

Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library has produced two new “dynamic” bibliographies ow.ly/stfK4
Farm Bureau warns: EPA moving too aggressively to control farm, ranch land ow.ly/sx9zo
Iowa officials schedule January 23 proposed USEPA 2014 ethanol, biofuel targets hearing after Administration declines ow.ly/syZcM
Kansas Dept of Health and Environment: About 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel-water mixture recovered from Shunga Creek ow.ly/sBL2E
Iowa farmland values climbed 8.7 percent last year, a new report shows, but demand is beginning to soften http://ow.ly/sDKsc
Congressional letter to EPA Administrator says reducing renewable fuels amount in gasoline could hurt rural economies http://ow.ly/sGc6P
Jonathan Coppess, University of Illinois: “Evaluating EPA’s Arguments for Renewable Fuel Standard Waiver Authority” http://ow.ly/sGcqN

Midwest Drought Monitor Status
January 14 (click to enlarge)

Climate and Weather -

Slight expansion was noted by NOAA to the drought across the Midwest last week http://ow.ly/q3w3u
NOAA's Annual 2013 National Overview reports a year cooler, wetter than average for most of Mississippi River Basin http://t.co/dMfmV8h2Ga

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Recently-published University of Wisconsin-Madison study: most invasive species populations don’t grow very large ow.ly/st772
Scientists are searching for new answers to protect the endangered pallid sturgeon in Missouri River watershed ow.ly/swEFR
Reproducing Mississippi River Asian carp populations are still believed to be south of Minnesota; although isolated fish observed in state ow.ly/swFrA
Wintering population size of Bald Eagles soars in Illinois ow.ly/swFIk
EPA misses Tuesday deadline to issue finalized cooling water intake structure standards under Section Clean Water Act http://ow.ly/sDO2m
Army Corps seeks firms for studies and hatchery work to support, propagate endangered Missouri River pallid sturgeon http://ow.ly/sDLTA
Ash tree destroyer on course to invade South Dakota in about five years ow.ly/sx9go

Reaction to Army Corps' GLMRIS Report

Sen Mark Kirk (R-IL) argues against physically separating Lake Michigan from Mississippi River in effort to block Asian carp ow.ly/syZJ5
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) weighs in on idea of separating the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes to block invasive species http://ow.ly/sGd5s
Wisconsin residents say plug Chicago Ship canal, stop Asian carp, at lightly attended public hearing ow.ly/sBKAn
Ohio Attorney General calls on Army Corps of Engineers to hydrologically separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins http://ow.ly/sGdYq
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) calls for hydrological separation of Mississippi and Great Lakes Basins at public meeting http://ow.ly/sGeBe

In the States-

Is Minnesota on right track toward Legacy Amendment goal to "protect, enhance and restore" water resources? ow.ly/swBXI
Minnesota state draft 2014 Impaired Waters List comment period extended until February 11 ow.ly/sBpx7

Areal Photos of Delacroix area in
Bernard Parish, Louisiana

Louisiana Coastal Region-

Louisiana's top coastal restoration body backs energy companies on issue of Levee Board wetland destruction lawsuit ow.ly/sErnS
Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East defends its wetland loss lawsuit against oil and gas companies http://ow.ly/sGdH7

Forestry-

Western Louisiana activists say corporations are clearing Louisiana’s forests to meet European renewable energy goals http://ow.ly/sDYxl

Federal Budget -

Senate approves $1 trillion omnibus spending bill, sparing the government from another shutdown http://ow.ly/sG9TJ
Omnibus spending bill boosts Army Corps' civil works budget but limits new environmental restoration projects ow.ly/sBMrE
Spending bill gives USDA overall increase in discretionary funding but reduces its ability to fund biofuels projects ow.ly/sBN4O
Massive 2014 spending bill leaves President Obama's energy, environment and climate programs largely intact ow.ly/sBNJS
Politico outlines the details of the 2014 Fiscal Year government spending bill poised for passage this week ow.ly/sx6EE

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar (here as a stand-alone calendar)

Here is America Water Blog's list of some of the major meetings and events coming in 2014 in the world of water http://bit.ly/1d71Z8z
Wisconsin Legacy Communities and Wisconsin Water Star Sustainable Strategies Webinar Series; 12 programs through 2014 ow.ly/sBu0f
Abstracts due February 2 for CEER 2014 Ecosystem Restoration conference, July 28-August 1, New Orleans ow.ly/sxbPs
Environmental Connection 2014; International Erosion Control Association, Nashville, Tennessee, February 25–28 ow.ly/sBtEF
Mississippi River Research Consortium soliciting papers, posters for presentation at April 23-25, Annual Meeting ow.ly/sx5nU
Integrative Session for Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, May 18-23, Portland, OR (Intrnl Society for River Science) ow.ly/syWv6
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to host environmental justice conference ow.ly/sxaGf (details to be determined)

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -

Lower Mississippi River Dispatch; Vol 10 No 1b, January 13 ow.ly/sxnWN
January 2014 America's Waterway "River Currents" e-newsletter ow.ly/sBAYZ
National Water Quality Monitoring Council's eighth edition of its National Water Monitoring News online newsletter http://ow.ly/sEVfu
Montana Watershed Coordination Council January 16 Watershed News http://ow.ly/sEZJK

Other news-

EPA announces Request for Applications, National Center for Sustainable Water Infrastructure Modeling Research ow.ly/sBpiO

Politics and People-

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) to resign at end of 2014, foregoing final 2 years of term; setting special election in motion http://ow.ly/sG9DK
EPA announces Regional Administrator nominee for Region 4 Office (Region covers part of Mississippi River Basin) ow.ly/sBoZ0
Uncertainty exists within Obama Administration about who will lead its energy and environmental agenda in 2014 ow.ly/sxKSc
GOP candidate Weston Wamp will run against GOP Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3rd district) again: politi.co/1eAP1T3
Republican Secretary of State Schultz jumps into race for retiring GOP Rep. Tom Latham's Iowa-3rd district seat: dmreg.co/L43sXz

Last Word -

"A politician is a man who understands government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead for 15 years." - Former President, and (later) statesman, Harry S. Truman

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Spending Bill Will Delay Flood Insurance Rate Hikes While Related Legislation Progresses In Senate

Within the federal omnibus fiscal year 2014 spending bill passed by Congress this week is a provision that will suspend until November 2014 flood insurance premium rate increases under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); rate hikes due to be implemented under NFIP revisions enacted in 2012 (in the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012; see below). The omnibus language retains scheduled premium increases for vacation houses, for businesses and for frequently-flooded properties, as well as a requirement that drops federal insurance subsidies whenever a home is sold.

In the meantime, 30 Senate co-sponsors, mostly from coastal states, are backing the "Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act" (S. 1846), (introduced by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)). That bill would delay for four years the implementation of certain provisions of the 2012 Flood Insurance Reform Act, including rate increases intended to help the NFIP become financially solvent by bringing rates more in line with actual flooding risks. The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act may see formal Senate consideration as early as this month.

The following overview and related references are provided for background on the NFIP, its history of financial insolvency, and the most recent (2012) substantive attempt to reform the program.

National Flood Insurance Program
Established in 1968 through the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-448), the NFIP

Flood Insurance Premium Subsidies

National Flood Insurance Act Amendments

Flood Insurance Rate Maps

-------------------------------

Additional resources

King, Rawle O. February 2013. “The National Flood Insurance Program: Status and Remaining Issues for Congress.” Congressional Research Service Report No. R428450. The report identifies and presents some key flood management issues for congressional consideration, and concludes with a discussion of policy options for the future financial management of flood hazards.
AECOM, 2013 (for the Federal Emergency Management Agency). “The Impact of Climate Changeand Population Growth on the National Flood Insurance Program.” The report in part evaluates the likely impact of climate change and population growth on the National Flood Insurance Program.
FEMA. September 24, 2013. “Community Rating System (CRS) and Their Classes.” Provides an overview of the voluntary Community Rating System program for National Flood Insurance Program-participating communities.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Save the Date! - Significant 2014 Mississippi River Basin Water Policy Dates and Deadlines
The Julian calendar has turned from 2013 to 2014, and we have prepared a chronology of nine dates and months to make note of in 2014 that may prove to be significant within the Mississippi River Basin water policy arena. You can see that listing here.

Army Corps' Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Invasive Species Analysis Presents Options; Not Recommendations

On January 6, the Army Corps of Engineers released a report offering a range of eight alternatives that might prevent or mitigate the transfer of invasive species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. The eight options were detailed in the congressionally-mandated report entitled "Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study" ("GLMRIS") and range from taking no additional federal action beyond what is being done now, to complete hydrological separation the basins at select locations. Significantly, the GLMRIS report neither makes recommendations nor prioritizes the various options. The report simply presents each of the eight alternatives, including its general location, a description of its conceptual design elements, an estimated implementation time, and estimated project cost. You can read more stories on the issue, below, under "Biodiversity," and our summary of the report findings, including detailed directions regarding how to comment on the report, here. The entire GLMRIS report is available at this Army Corps' web site.

New Report Recommends Areas of Improvement for USDA Mississippi River Water Quality Initiative

Fiscal Year 2012 Mississippi River
Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative
Priority Watersheds (click to enlarge)

The World Resources Institute (WRI) released a working paper on January 7 entitled “Improving Water Quality: A Review of the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) To Target U.S. Farm Conservation Funds.” In its report, WRI reviewed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), seeking to determine the extent to which the MRBI is achieving its goal of realizing measurable improvements in water quality. Based upon its analysis, WRI identified twelve "specific recommendations for MRBI that may assist NRCS and its project partners in achieving measurable improvements in landscape-scale water quality outcomes." The complete 35-page WRI report is available on-line to read and download here, and an overview of the report's findings can be found in this blog post.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Testimony and statements from Natural Resource Committee Thursday hearing on Administration rewrite of George W. Bush-era stream buffer zone rule ow.ly/siPPL
USEPA appeals federal court decision that it cannot require WV poultry operation to obtain CWA stormwater permit ow.ly/siPkq
Sioux City (Iowa) studies addition of wastewater treatment plant phosphorus, nitrogen removal before guidelines are mandatory http://ow.ly/sjh0E
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry official comments on environmental groups' water quality nutrient standard lawsuit http://ow.ly/sl7bB
Two companies will settle northwestern Wisconsin sand mine pollution case where sediments infiltrated wetland, stream and St. Croix River http://ow.ly/slt17
Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy set to enter next phase with eight watershed demonstration projects http://ow.ly/sm4JP
Wetland contamination with brine can be predicted in oil boom states, USGS study finds http://ow.ly/sq2mk

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -

Next "Dredgefest" (in Louisiana) to focus on the Mississippi River: "A Land-Making Machine" (at least it used to be) http://ow.ly/ss9Vi
Sen. Barbara Boxer’s deal-making with GOP on water resources' bill (WRDA) "streamlining" upsets environmental allies http://ow.ly/slcdE
Majority Leader Cantor: House could hold final vote on $8.2 billion WRDA bill to fund US port and waterway projects this month http://ow.ly/sjfFt
"The Great Flood": Hauntingly Poetic Documentary Recounts the Worst Flood in US History: Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 ow.ly/sl6F3
Interior Secretary terminates program designed to recognize and promote the conservation of valuable watersheds ow.ly/siP1s
Ohio River could soon be a thoroughfare for barge-carried fracking waste, worrying residents in the Cincinnati region ow.ly/siKZ5
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) calls on Congress to pass bill that would stop flood insurance rate increases http://ow.ly/sjg14
Senate may soon take procedural vote on flood insurance rate hike delay bill http://ow.ly/sm2b3 (bill information here: http://ow.ly/sm2iJ)
Bill to delay flood insurance premium rate increases could get test vote in Senate soon ow.ly/spMch
CBO report on the cost of implementing bill to reduce insurance premium rates under National Flood Insurance Program: ow.ly/sno7g
FEMA tasks National Academies to review its system of pricing flood insurance for homeowners at low elevations http://ow.ly/slbid
Updated Illinois Waterway Navigation Charts now available (Illinois River from Mississippi River to Lake Michigan) ow.ly/spOvz
Nearly 70 barges backed up on either side of broken lock connecting Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway http://ow.ly/ss9uh
Review begins of Louisiana's plans to build diversions of sediment and freshwater along Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers http://ow.ly/sq2VM
Plans announced for new deep water dock at St. James, Louisiana, located on the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/ss8Fm
2014 Missouri River runoff season begins; reservoirs drawn down significantly due to lingering 2012 drought effects http://ow.ly/ss8rl

Farm Bill-

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman stresses need for a dairy compromise in order to complete stalled farm bill http://ow.ly/ss4oR
House Agriculture Committee Chair: final action on farm bill conference report now likely to slip into late January http://ow.ly/sqTuL
Agreement reached on cuts to food stamps, but farm bill talks hit snag on dairy and catfish programs http://ow.ly/sqT9U
Fight over dairy provisions is threatening to hold up completion of the farm bill this week ow.ly/spKGx
Sen. Stabenow optimistic on farm bill passage, even as tensions reemerge over dairy support issues ow.ly/snomg
Pressure grows on Republicans to pass a new farm bill for the most basic of reasons: political survival ow.ly/siK8h
Farm and conservation groups look to farm bill reauthorization to reverse conservation fee budget provision http://ow.ly/slaWY
Farm bill negotiators are signaling a bill breakthrough is imminent on an impasse that began 15 months ago http://ow.ly/sldSD
Limited House January floor time and GOP opposition to small nutrition cuts could still derail a compromise farm bill http://ow.ly/slefD

Agriculture -

"Top 10 list of (policy-related) things to watch in agriculture in 2014" ow.ly/siMkp
Freezing weather across U.S. will damage crops and is threatening livestock http://ow.ly/slbAt
USDA extends deadline for Conservation Stewardship applications http://ow.ly/sml51
Iowa biodiesel production pushed over 230 million gallons last year, an increase of 25 percent and a new record ow.ly/spL2x

Climate and Weather -

January 7 Drought
Monitor Map (click to enlarge)

NOAA/NWS national drought update, January 9: http://ow.ly/q3w3u
Record-breaking cold pummels the Midwest; cold could break decades-old records http://ow.ly/sl7Ov
Cold weather causes ice jam on Missouri River near Sioux City http://ow.ly/sl9Ui
Ohio River begins to freeze in Indiana ow.ly/snsPY
A look back: Mississippi River frozen solid, February 1905 pic.twitter.com/egiVMQNGW7

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives-

Army Corps of Engineers releases its Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) Report (invasive species) www.glmris.anl.gov (see story, above,

Click to enlarge

and news links below)
Indiana Attorney General: Army Corps of Engineers report snubs state’s Wabash River Asian carp problem http://ow.ly/ss925
Indiana Attorney General wants Army Corps to include state among public meeting sites on Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study http://ow.ly/sqN8a
News coverage: Army Corps' Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Report http://ow.ly/sl92f and http://ow.ly/sl94A
Conservation groups tout basin separation in response to Army Corps' Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study ow.ly/snrrn
Midwestern U.S. cities weigh costs of the invasive emerald ash borer fight ow.ly/siZrR
University of Minnesota researcher: Deep freeze could kill invasive emerald ash borer - KMSP-TV http://t.co/aQGQ0YwjSv
Portion of Arkansas River considered for ‘Gold Medal’ fishing designation http://ow.ly/sl8pt

In the States-

Coal, pipelines, and fish and wildlife agency on Kentucky state lawmakers' 2014 agenda ow.ly/siM4F

Louisiana Coastal Region-

Louisiana asks 5th Circuit Court to transfer its BP spill damage claims to another judge ow.ly/siR8L
National Hurricane Center to issue potential storm surge flood maps showing during during the 2014 hurricane season ow.ly/so7uY

Resource Development -

A look back on a year in North Dakota filled with oil, water, chemicals and round silica sand from WI and MN ow.ly/siQFW

Federal Budget -

Reuters: Lawmakers prepare stop-gap federal funding measure as clock runs down on spending bill http://ow.ly/ss6gY
It is likely that some extension of the Federal spending continuing resolution (due to expire on January 15) will be needed http://ow.ly/sleFT
House appropriators agree to keep funding bill virtually free of controversial Interior Department and USEPA riders ow.ly/spN6x

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar (here as a stand-alone calendar)

FMR Workshop: Native Plants, Raingardens and Lawn Care for Water Quality; January 13, 6-8 pm, St. Paul, MN ow.ly/sntiO
EPA Watershed Academy webinar: planning for green infrastructure at the landscape scale; January 14; 1-3 PM ET ow.ly/snqVC
Army Corps January 14-16 open houses on Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on operation of Middle Mississippi River works ow.ly/spNW8
Minnesota River Watershed Alliance will meet January 21 (7 PM) at Ridgewater College in Hutchinson, Minn ow.ly/sqg6z
Montana Watershed Coordination Council annual meeting, January 23; Montana WILD, 2668 Broadwater Ave., Helena ow.ly/sqRjG
Open House: Army Corps of Engineers' Mississippi River Visitor Center; Rock Island, Illinois; Locks and Dam #15; January 24, 9 AM-5 PM http://ow.ly/snsyt
2014 Great Plains Low Impact Development Research and Innovation Symposium; Tulsa, Oklahoma State U; April 2-4; http://ow.ly/sqMFy
St. Croix River Association is accepting registrations for its fourth annual summer paddle (June 14-20) http://ow.ly/sl9kA
River Sweep 2014 has been set for Saturday, June 21, along shorelines of the Ohio River, tributaries in six states http://ow.ly/ssaCl

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Industrial Stormwater mid-winter update ow.ly/sl7ue
St. Croix River Association January e-newsletter ow.ly/spUfr
Bi-weekly Green Lands Blue Waters update on agricultural land conservation/cover in the Mississippi River Basin ow.ly/sqeMm
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for January 2014 ow.ly/sqfoF
Montana Watershed Coordination Council January 9 Watershed News http://ow.ly/sqQId

Other news-

Majority Leader Cantor circulates legislative agenda among House colleagues; includes farm and water resources bills ow.ly/siJLa
Congressional "to-do" list includes farm bill and legislation to delay increases in flood insurance for policyholders ow.ly/siTfR
Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee Conservation Award Nominations Due February 14; details here: ow.ly/sju2g
Federal judge extends deadline for USEPA to reveal when it will act on proposed rule for managing coal burning wastes ow.ly/siQTw
Living on Earth: 2014 promises to be a crucial U.S. political year for the environment ow.ly/siLg9
Toronto Star: "Here is a look at five environmental issues that will make headlines in 2014" ow.ly/siQeE
Little-known New Madrid seismic zone could greatly impact Missouri region; past quakes altered Mississippi River flow ow.ly/siLGb
Diverse chorus of voices are criticizing economic growth and its harm to well-being of humans and the planet ow.ly/siKOt
Jobs: Mississippi River Network seeks new Outreach Assistants; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Dubuque, St. Louis/Alton regions ow.ly/spLjP
Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance formed to protect Missouri River ow.ly/spNFY
Costs related to December 14 fire at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium could top $1 million ow.ly/spNMn
EPA revamps Citizen Science website: new resources to assist public in conducting scientific research; collecting data http://ow.ly/sqpeN

Politics and People-

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Scott Nally, an outspoken critic of U.S. EPA, has resigned ow.ly/sns1t
President Obama nominates veteran scientist Suzette Kimball to lead the U.S. Geological Survey http://ow.ly/ss7up
Environmental groups not happy with prospect of Sen. Landrieu (D-La.) chairing Energy and Natural Resources Committee ow.ly/so88n

Last Word -

"We tried to foresee a lot of things, but what we just really didn't anticipate was groundhogs." - Clay Bakker, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art trails and grounds manager, commenting on the discovery that groundhogs have been found tunneling into the museum gift shop "green roof" in northwest Arkansas.