Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

French Creek

This Week and Next
It was a surprisingly busy week on the River Basin-related news front, and you can find a sizable portion of that news outlined below. The week saw a premature winter freeze bring an early end to the Upper Mississippi River's navigation season, and the U.S. House pass bills (over a Presidential veto threat) that would restrict some Environmental Protection Agency activities.  Here is our one-paragraph summary of "What We Learned This Week" ("Resistance is Futile"), in case you find the volume of news below particularly daunting.

Next week Congress will be recessed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and so will your FNB ("Friendly Neighborhood Blogger), who is traveling north to Pennsylvania and French Creek - the practically pristine headwaters of the Mississippi River watershed.  The Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News editorial team promises to return in early December, as does Congress - primarily to work on a way to keep the government funded and running beyond December 11.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• As controversial EPA/Army Corps water rule looms, GOP prepares a legislative assault http://ow.ly/EoV37
• End of comment period doesn't stop war of words over Obama Administration's proposed Clean Water Act rule http://ow.ly/EtnX7
• Funding opportunity: US EPA seeks research proposals regarding how changes in water quality can be valued at appropriate spatial scales http://ow.ly/Ext1K
• State of the art Thomas More College Biology Field Station works to improve Ohio River quality http://ow.ly/EoM6K
• Environmental groups threaten to sue Kentucky coal mining company for thousands of Clean Water Act violations http://ow.ly/Es4GQ (see related story, below)
• Kentucky environmental regulators defend their enforcement record against charges from four environmental groups http://ow.ly/Ex1ti
• Clean Wisconsin report: "Groundwater contamination and the 'beneficial reuse' of coal ash in southeast Wisconsin" http://ow.ly/EtuoH
• Illinois county board votes to rezone farmland so it can be used for coal mining waste storage, despite water quality concerns http://ow.ly/Ex355
• Interior Department presses for more rigorous oversight of flooded Fairmont Mine Pool (Monongahela River Basin) story: http://ow.ly/EAJCk report: http://ow.ly/EAJ6p
• Tennessee Clean Water Network sues Army and its contractor over dumping of explosive chemicals into Holston River near Kingsport, Tenn. http://ow.ly/EALih

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

Jordan Aquifer (Source: USGS)

• Ice surrounding locks and dams near Minnesota’s Twin Cities forces earliest Upper Mississippi River shipping season closure on record http://ow.ly/EAQ5u
• Army Corps of Engineers' head touts watershed-based approach to planning http://ow.ly/EooF7
• Mississippi River barge traffic moving well despite Army Corps' construction project that prompted agricultural groups' concern http://ow.ly/EgSev
• Frustrated Minnesota farmers turn to barge transport as an alternative to bottlenecked and costly rail options http://ow.ly/Eo2vR
• CBS News 60 Minutes: much of the world is in danger of a groundwater overdraft http://ow.ly/EoKMo
• Growing water use threatens to strain Upper Midwest's Jordan Aquifer; Iowa regulators are considering restricting its use http://ow.ly/EoPnN
• USDA survey: 55.3 million acres of irrigated U.S. farmland in 2013 closely matches acres in 2008 survey http://ow.ly/EsTXg
• PIANC MarCom Working Group report released: "Masterplans for the Development of Existing Ports" http://ow.ly/ExExi
• Draft of Colorado's first water plan approved by state's Water Conservation Board  (western side of Continental Divide holds 11% of Colorado’s population; eastern side consumes 70% of its water) http://ow.ly/EAMpU
• State Associations release Clean Water Act-Safe Drinking Water Act collaboration toolkit; roll-out webinars planned http://ow.ly/EBl8q

Agriculture -

• Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Tex.), next House Agriculture Committee chairman: "It’s never too early to start on the next (2019) farm bill" http://ow.ly/EAO9M
• The Urban-Rural Divide: Lessons from the midterm elections relating to national nutrition
  
  programs, global food security http://ow.ly/Exrdq
• U.S. farmers are about to reap a bumper harvest, not just in crops but also in billions of $ in new subsidies http://ow.ly/EAOEC
• National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s 2014 Grassroots Guide to Federal Farm and Food Programs http://ow.ly/EoprR
• USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service issues guidance on administering conservation initiatives in FY 2015 http://ow.ly/Eoq5d
• Millions of acres of U.S. farmland have been affected by herbicide-resistant weeds, rendering some fields unfarmable http://ow.ly/EoOoP
• St. Louis Fed Bank: Farmland values rose in the third quarter in parts of the Midwest and southern U.S. despite declining farm incomes http://ow.ly/Eo18X (These findings contrasted with reports from other Fed banks in the Midwest (Chicago and Kansas City) that showed declines in their districts’ farmland values in the third quarter.)
• Purdue University agricultural economist believes the decade-long increase in farmland values might soon be over http://ow.ly/EwT90
• With the precipitous downward trend in corn prices, can U.S. farmers afford to stay loyal to corn next year? http://ow.ly/Et9Ok
• There are fewer cattle in the United States than at any time since 1951; including Plains' herd size drop http://ow.ly/Eo21i
• Your next farmer's market could be in your computer http://ow.ly/EwXUe
• Officials approve 8,800-head dairy operation west of Willmar, west-central Minnesota http://ow.ly/EAH2h
• New York Times op-ed: A creative new approach to Midwestern agriculture, involving indigenous prairie plants, has the potential to unite farmers and environmentalists http://ow.ly/EBItZ

Climate and Weather -

• US drought update: Bitter cold along with some snow over the central U.S. afforded little, if any, drought relief http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• GAO: Climate change could substantially increase losses in taxpayer-backed flood and crop insurance programs in coming decades http://ow.ly/EEH32 (story: http://ow.ly/EEH6g)
• With a fifth record hot month on the books, NOAA says 2014 is likely to be the Earth's hottest year despite US cold http://yhoo.it/1t9ysEt
• USDA grant used to help create carbon credit market program; could boost Prairie Pothole grassland conservation http://ow.ly/Etphe and http://ow.ly/EwZkx
• CO2 emissions must be zero by 2070 to prevent climate disaster, UN says, and ‘negative emissions’ are needed globally http://ow.ly/EAMZJ
• Ethereal beauty: A year in the life of the Earth's carbon dioxide (courtesy NASA)

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives
(click to enlarge)

• Eastern Tallgrass Prairie and Big Rivers Landscape Conservation Cooperative funds five projects to fill science information needs http://ow.ly/EtkdC
• Landscape Conservation Cooperative Network develops 5-year strategic plan to help conserve, maintain key landscapes and seascapes ow.ly/Etl9o
• 'Explosion' of gill lice besets Wisconsin's iconic brook trout http://ow.ly/EgMLq
• Updated International Union for the Conservation of Nature list: Over 22,000 species are threatened with extinction http://ow.ly/EtfSb
• After quarantine, bison find a new home in northern Montana's prairie lands http://ow.ly/Ex3LX
• House passes bill to amend Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act, increasing funding for conservation easement purchases http://ow.ly/Et6O5
• Army Corps of Engineers considering plans to block path of Asian carp on the Des Plaines River near Joliet, Illinois ow.ly/Ey4yY
• Kentucky hopes you'll eat its invasive Asian carp http://ow.ly/Eun0Y
• Illinois Conservation Police arrest commercial fisherman accused of illegally selling live Asian carp http://ow.ly/EAYVA
• Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area (Minnesota) wildlife manager sees Canada goose migration stopover changes, flyway widen http://ow.ly/EAUwI

In the Cities -

• New report explores state of land banks in 2014, and how they help address impacts of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent properties http://ow.ly/Et8DU
• Under a consent decree for Combined Sewer Overflows, Indianapolis looks for creative solutions http://ow.ly/Etr1J
• Vicksburg talking with state, federal agencies about running Mississippi River Museum http://ow.ly/EAWeK
• Ohio River Valley communities leverage their water resources to drive economic prosperity http://ow.ly/ECwPF

2015 River of the Year Nominees

In the States-

• Three Mississippi River Basin streams in the running for "2015 River of the Year" in Pennsylvania http://ow.ly/Ex64w

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Plaquemines Parish, La., officials vote down bid to drop 21 environmental damage lawsuits filed against oil and gas companies http://ow.ly/Eonit
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announces next $100 million in awards for Gulf Coast restoration projects http://ow.ly/Etbgl

Resource Development -

• Random shallow groundwater tests in Northern Plains oil region show no evidence of contamination from energy boom http://ow.ly/EsZhi
• The biggest product of the U.S. petroleum industry is not oil, gas or condensate but wastewater http://ow.ly/Ex0HX
• Iowa awaits good and ill ramifications of possible frac sand mine boom, while neighboring Wisconsin is already there http://ow.ly/EgTXl
• Popular Illinois state park at center of struggle over sand used in fracking http://ow.ly/Et0q9
• House of Representatives passes bill approving Keystone XL oil pipeline http://ow.ly/EjMeP
• Senate, by a single vote, defeats legislation that would have approved construction of the Keystone XL pipeline http://ow.ly/EwITp

Federal Budget -

• Behind the scene Congressional negotiations continue over legislation to keep the government running, as omnibus bill discussions face problematic conservatives' policy rider demands http://ow.ly/EBRbf
• Expectations for a long-term omnibus Federal spending package are dampened, as Republican leaders weigh their options http://ow.ly/Et30e
• House Republicans search for spending compromise to avoid a government shutdown but restrict immigration changes http://ow.ly/EwSHd

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar) 

• St. Croix National Scenic River Association's Aquatic Invasive Species Workshop, Grantsburg, WI, December 5, 9 AM - 3:30 PM CST http://ow.ly/EEETz
• Updated webinar link information now available for December 9 Great Waters Webinar: "Time to End the Slime – Addressing Nutrient Pollution" 3 PM EST http://ow.ly/EEG7M
• Newly formed North Dakota Missouri River Stakeholders group holds its first meeting this week; story: http://ow.ly/EATtF; home page: http://ow.ly/EATHB
• "Future of Farmland and Food?" Highlights of American Farmland Trust's recent National Conference in Lexington, Kentucky http://ow.ly/ECDkW

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Gulf Restoration Network's November 14 GulfWaves: "Fracking Diaries" http://ow.ly/EomoJ
• Pennsylvania Environmental Council Fall 2014 "Forum" http://ow.ly/Ex4kk
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's November 19 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/EAKix
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council's November 20 "Watershed News" http://ow.ly/EEGEk

Other news-

• Senate Judiciary Committee approves new legislation that would strengthen the Freedom of Information Act; news article: http://ow.ly/EEBVU; Committee meeting summary: http://ow.ly/EClk1 (bill: http://ow.ly/EClvi)
• White House issues veto threats against House Republican bills that place restrictions on Environmental Protection Agency http://ow.ly/EtcVJ (see related stories below)
• Over White House veto threat, House passes bill to overhaul Environmental Protection Agency Scientific Advisory Board http://ow.ly/EwTIc (bill link here: http://ow.ly/EwXfP)
• House passes H.R. 4012, to restrict EPA regulations not based upon "transparent or reproducible" science http://ow.ly/EAI2n (bill link here: http://ow.ly/EAG9x)
• Upper Arkansas River Stage and Rail Trail plan nearing completion, will be put before public http://ow.ly/EgPwo
• $6 million overhaul starting soon of southern Indiana state park's museum exhibits on Ohio River geography, culture http://ow.ly/EAWWP

Politics and People-

• Democratic leaders announce Democratic Caucus approval of 19 Ranking Members for 114th Congress House Committees http://ow.ly/ECki4
• House Majority Leader McCarthy releases 2015 House calendar ow.ly/Ey2jH
• Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has no plans to retire . . . "no frickin' way" http://ow.ly/EgMho
• House GOP picks all-male slate of new committee chairs, including Agriculture: Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Natural Resources: Rob Bishop (R-Utah) http://ow.ly/EwPNX
• Rep. Mike Conaway (R., Tex.) selected as the 50th chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture http://ow.ly/EwR8m (Kansas Republican Pat Roberts widely expected to be new chairman of Senate's Agriculture Committee in January http://ow.ly/EwRC1)
• Broadly speaking, President Obama has a political advantage over congressional Republicans when it comes to environmental matters http://ow.ly/EgNTJ
• Bill Frenzel, a 20-year U.S. House member from Minnesota, died on Monday at 86 http://ow.ly/Et4wq
• Washington Post: "Landrieu's final indignity: One vote short on Keystone" http://wapo.st/1HjEBHI
• USDA Secretary Appoints New Members to National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board http://ow.ly/EtdST

Your Moment of Zen -

Biggest brown coal power plant of Europe at Belchatow coal power station, Poland. Poland and other eastern Europe countries have categorically rejected a target put forward by the world’s top climate scientists to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2100 to avoid dangerous global warming, leaked documents show.  Photograph: Artur Marciniec/Alamy.