Governors from states along the Missouri River met today (MON) in Nebraska to discuss concerns about managing the waterway. Several said flood control should be a higher priority for the U-S Army Corps of Engineers, which operates reservoirs and dams on the river. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad says a repeat of this summer's flooding could be catastrophic for areas hit hard earlier this year.
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer disagreed, saying maintaining upstream reservoirs is at least as important as preventing downstream flooding. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback also attended the meeting, along with governors of North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.