Missouri River Futures

Missouri River Futures
P.O. Box 46
102 E Elm St.
Hartington, NE 68739
402-254-6858 ext. 114

Directions to MRF Office

About Missouri River Futures

BACKGROUND

Missouri River Futures (MRF) represents an interagency group based out of Hartington, Nebraska focused on conservation efforts along the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR). This river segment extends roughly from Ponca State Park in Nebraska to Ft. Randall Dam near Pickstown, South Dakota and represents the only remaining stretch of the Missouri River that is neither impounded nor channelized.

FOUNDATION AND PURPOSE

Missouri River Futures was established in 2004 under the leadership of W. Don Nelson (then State Director for Senator Ben Nelson in Nebraska). Funding from several federal, state, and local agencies is used to support a coordinator position, which is housed within the Nebraska NRCS. The purpose of the MRF is to work as a catalyst to bring together the efforts of the agencies working on Missouri River issues in the MNRR reaches. MRF also serves as a liaison between these agencies and private landowners. Early in MRF’s development, the following mission statement was devised:

"To improve communication, understanding, and trust among all stakeholders; leading to effective resources conservation."

More than 40 different agencies and organizations are active in issues along the MNRR. The benefits of a coordinating organization such as MRF are already visible through the progress that has been made.

FOCUS

One of the most valuable aspects of MRF is the ability to provide one-on-one assistance with landowners throughout the Missouri River floodplain in both Nebraska and South Dakota. MRF has developed a “toolbox” of conservation programs from several agencies that is available to the landowners. These programs contain incentives for habitat restoration and/or creation, water quality improvement, and erosion control. Various agencies have funding for projects on the Missouri River like sloughing and conservation easements, backwater & chute creation, Wetland Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, and others. The MNRR is a valuable resource and a rare “natural” section of the Missouri River. It is hoped, even expected, that more emphasis will be given to additional conservation projects in the future.

Protecting threatened and endangered species is the incentive for many of the activities seen on the MNRR. These species include the pallid sturgeon, least tern, and piping plover. Although the bald eagle has been de-listed, legislation is still in place to protect the beautiful bird and its habitat. Consequently, activities like the creation of emergent sandbar habitat and numerous research studies on the Missouri River ecosystem continue to be a priority.

SUMMARY

There are many different opinions on how the Missouri River and floodplain should be managed. Even though these opinions often differ, there is opportunity to obtain common ground for the benefit of the river ecosystem. MRF has and will continue to promote conservation and resolve conflicts between various interests on the MNRR.