But local Corps officials simply cannot open or close the spillway gates at will. Decisions about reservoir levels and water releases are made in the district office in Omaha. Officials there must balance water level and environmental concerns throughout the Missouri River main stem system, which includes six dams between Montana and Missouri. Among the environmental issues is wildlife habitat. The Corps has to be careful not to release so much water that it destroys the habitat of some endangered species, such as the piping plover and least tern.
Multistate commissions meet regularly to consider issues such as water needs and use.
Erosion is another issue. High banks on bluffs surrounding Lake Sakakawea are being washed away. But answers do not come easily. It's got to be like being an air traffic controller. Grand Forks Herald.