Asian Carp may find back way

Originally published May 13, 2012 in the Albert Lea Tribune - Albert Lea, MN.
Click here for original link. 

MINNEAPOLIS — There’s a back door for Asian carp to sneak into Minnesota, and fisheries officials are worried that the invaders might have found it already.

Commercial fishermen recently caught dozens of Asian carp in northwestern Iowa’s Great Lakes, one of that state’s most popular vacation spots. Those waters connect with lakes and streams in southwestern Minnesota, so the haul came as an unwelcome surprise to Minnesota officials who’ve been more focused on the higher-profile fight against Asian carp infiltrating up the Mississippi River.

“We view it as a big threat. …These fish don’t recognize political boundaries,” said Ryan Doorenbos, area fisheries supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Windom.

No bighead or silver Asian carp have been caught in southwestern Minnesota, but a few have been netted on the east side of the state in the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. Officials have been trying for a few years to develop a strategy to stop them from advancing up the Mississippi past Minneapolis, but they’ve just started studying their options for the southwest.

Returning to the River

Video originally published May 12, 2012 on WOWT - Omaha. 
Click here for original link and to view video.

by Gary Smollen
The impact of last summers flood along the Missouri River can still be seen in many areas. People are returning to the river but in some cases some efforts to make things right have been slowed by bureaucracy and thieves.

All along the river there are piles of sand and silt left behind by the receding water. As the Missouri returned inside its banks the people started returning to their recreational areas but it some cases they were totally wiped out.

Channel 6 News was there as one campsite was evacuated last year, on Saturday we returned to see how things have changed.

Officials advise caution with low releases

 Releases from Gavins Point Dam reduced to zero with spillway tests

This article was originally published in the Yankton Press & Dakotan on May 9, 2012
Click here to read original news story link.

Also, here's a couple links to Yankton P&D stories regarding the same story:

• Corps to conduct spillway test at Gavins Point Dam (April 28, 2012)
• Corps: more tests for spillway (May 5, 2012)

From P&D Staff Reports
The National Park Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are reminding the public to use caution today (Wednesday) as releases at Gavins Point Dam will be halted in order for a damage assessment to be conducted.

Water releases will be reduced beginning at 6 a.m. and continue incrementally until they reach 0 cfs. The releases will remain at 0 cfs for no more than eight hours and will be slowly increased back to normal flow levels. The river level is forecast to drop by eight feet at Yankton and will fall to similar levels downriver. Flow levels may change without notice.