The federal government is trying to navigate the thorny issues surrounding management of the Missouri River and its headwaters through eight states, and wants the input of anyone who works, lives or plays on the Missouri River, as well as people who are interested in wildlife and human habitat.

Two years ago, Congress tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mitigate losses of aquatic and terrestrial habitat; bolster the populations of threatened or endangered species; and restore the ecosystem to prevent further declines among other native species. Those are pretty big marching orders, according to those involved, on a 2,431-mile river that's been heavily modified by mankind.

It's all part of the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan (MRERP), more commonly known among those involved as ";Mr. Erp." It was authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.

Jennifer Switzer, the project manager for the Corps, notes that the Missouri River has six mainstream dams, and has been channelized heavily to allow better navigation for barges and other commercial operations, especially along the lower stretches.

";There's been all sorts of physical modifications that have had an immense impact on the natural environment," she said. ";So Congress is requiring the Corps to take action to try to mitigate that.

";It's a huge project ... involving eight states, 29 tribes and many federal agencies."

Public participation kicks off on Aug. 10, with a series of 10 scoping meetings in seven states. The first will be held in Cheyenne, Wyo., followed by a scoping meeting on Aug. 12 at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center. Helena hosts the third meeting on Aug. 13. Other meetings will be held in North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

Two other focus groups meetings will be held in the Treasure State on Aug. 18 in Poplar and Great Falls. Those meetings differ from the others in that a select group of people with a wide range of viewpoints and interests have been asked to attend and give input on what they see as issues.

";We want people to provide input as we develop the scope and the needs of the project," Switzer said. ";We're also looking for things we need to be aware of, like how could restoration activities affect things that are important to you, positively or negatively. We want to know those things that might be potential concerns, so we're sure to address them down the road when we're putting together alternatives."

Some of the issues involve the amount of flows in the Missouri River. The lower stretches are managed mainly for barge traffic, meaning they need a consistent water level. But over the years, that consistency combined with drought conditions has lowered the water level in Fort Peck so that lakeside cabins built 20 years ago are now a half-mile from the reservoir pool.

And man's alteration of large river systems is thought to be the primary cause of decline of the pallid sturgeon population, which lives in the Missouri River and was listed as an endangered species in 1990.

Matt McKinney and Daisy Patterson with the Center for Natural Resource and Environmental Policy in Missoula are helping facilitate the meetings. They note that this is a long-term project n the draft and final plans probably won't be published until sometime between 2014 and 2016 n but that it's important to speak up early in order to ensure all the bases are covered.

";We want to reach out to everyday, unaffiliated folks, along with the stakeholders, to find out why they go to the Missouri, what they do there, and what's important," McKinney said. ";These meetings are really step one in the process."

More online

Click here for more information on the Missouri project.

Local hearings

Two identical scoping sessions will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13 at the University of Montana-Helena, 1115 N. Roberts St.

The Fort Peck scoping meeting is at the same time on Aug. 12 at the Interpretive Center on Lower Yellowstone Road.

For more information, contact Jennifer Switzer at 816/389-3062 or Jennifer.L.Switzer@usace.army.mil; or Matt McKinney at 457-8475. The project's Web site is www.moriverrecovery.org.

Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com