The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1963-10-25

A 200-mile stretch of tn
Missouri River in northern
Montana, which was explored
by Lewis and Clark but has re
manned largely undevelopet
since, could be harnessed tx
provide more than a million XIV
of low-cost hydroelectric pow
er.
This was one of the findings of Z
recent comprehensive survey by the
Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau OF
Reclamation and other federal agen
cies. A joint report issued by the
Division Engineer of the Corps and
the Missouri Basin Regional Co-ordi.
nator of the Department of the In
terror lists no fewer than IL possible
schemes of development for the river
upstream from Fort Peck Reservoir
to Fort Benton, Montana.
In addition to the possibility of
developing substantial new block
of power, the Upper Missouri plans
also suggest another future gain
power link between the present
Missouri Basin projects to the east
and the Bonneville Power Admins
tration system to the west.
The II proposed plans vary from a
maximum development prog ra I'll
which would include 1,114,OO XIV of
installed hydro capacity to wilder
ness waterway" proposal by the Ma
tional Park Service which would COM
NIT most of this reach of the river
to the memory of Lewis and Clark.
All of the IL plans include develop
ment of recreation, fish and wildlife,
and an intensified land management
program, though in varying degrees.
ELEVEN PLANS PROPOSED
The diversity of the proposals may
be attributable in part to the geog-
raphy of the area. The 200-mille
reach of the Missouri between Fort
Peck and Fort Benton is bordered by
river bottom land, 500 to 1000 feet
below the average elevation of ada
cent upland, the report notes. The
river bottom land is Comparatively
narrow and for the most part essen
TALLY undeveloped." On the flood
plain are three small towns and only
about $500 acres of cultivated land.
And the report comments that ris-
ing above the river are rugged hills
and eroded gullies in the upper por-
ton of the reach, large-scale badlands
with spectacular white sandstone
cliffs and succession of other I'M 9
usual and colorful formations in the
central portion" G
The economy is largely dependent F
On grain and livestock production, and a
The area has been gradually losing U
population over the last 40 years. r
Benefits to the area, according
to the report would include Eek
penditures by the substantial num- c
bers of recreational visitors, i'm is
GLIDING fishermen and hunters, ex- q
pected at the development projects n
and the surrounding public land; v
increased returns to the n
ranchers of the area through the B
forage production features of the S,
public land management program; la
. the substantial block of hy-
droelectric power made available fl
if the development program Sc fl
lected FOR construction Is one pro- w
viding for reservoir development; 2.
and the dependable water to
supply that would be available if ne
are constructed"
EVERAL POWER SITES M
M
Of the IL proposed plans for de- IN
,lopment, all but the. wilderness mn
aterway proposal of the National tn
lrk Service would include one or stt
ore hydroelectric projects. The ce:
lrk Service plan does not include
'rt Benton Dam but this 100000 XIV UP
oject could be constructed without is
terfering with it. Ten plans include Int
rt Benton Dam but, beyond that pla
ere are host of different sites and pie