Water Resources: Corps' Management of Reservoirs in the Missouri River
Basin (Testimony, 10/11/93, GAO/T-RCED-94-43).

This testimony focuses on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' management
of the Missouri River reservoir system under drought conditions during
1989-90.  GAO concludes that the Corps acted consistently with its
drought contingency plan in releasing water from the reservoir system
during the three-year period and that all of the purposes served by the
reservoirs, except flood control, were harmed.  The plan does not
reflect current economic conditions in the Missouri River Basin.
Contrary to the Corps' beliefs, federal statutes do not require the
Corps to give recreation a lower priority than other project
purposes--flood control, navigation, irrigation, and hydroelectric
power--in deciding on water releases. Congress should consider
legislation that would require the Corps to set priorities for operating
its reservoir projects on the basis of the economic, environmental,
social, and other benefits of all authorized purposes.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-94-43
     TITLE:  Water Resources: Corps' Management of Reservoirs in the 
             Missouri River Basin
      DATE:  10/11/93
   SUBJECT:  Water resources conservation
             Water resources development
             Water supply management
             Planning
             Flood control management
             Inland waterways
             Economic analysis
             Natural resources
             Dams
IDENTIFIER:  Missouri River Basin
             Montana
             North Dakota
             South Dakota
             Sioux City (IA)
             St. Louis (MO)
             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

We regret that electronic text of GAO Testimony is not available at 
this time. 

See the GAO FAQ - Section 2.0 for printed copy ordering information.
The FAQ is automatically retrieved with all WAIS search results or 
can be obtained by sending e-mail to: [email protected]