Missouri River states dispute water pipeline provisions

A dispute has emerged regarding the federal Water Resources Development Act and its potential impact on water distribution within the Missouri River basin. A provision in the House version of the bill would require approval from all governors in Missouri River states before studying or constructing projects designed to move water from the river or its tributaries to states outside the basin.

Downstream stakeholders, including U.S. Representative Sam Graves and the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River, support the provision to prevent water shortages. Shane Kinne, executive director of the coalition, noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has already limited water releases from upper reservoirs for four years, impacting commercial barge traffic.

The House bill defines Missouri River states to include Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wyoming. However, the version of the legislation currently in the Senate lacks this specific provision, facing opposition from governors in upstream states such as Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.