By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected in federal court Monday in Washington. Judge Gladys Kessler wants to know why the corps is ignoring her order to lower water levels on the Missouri River.
That ruling was made last weekend to protect endangered species. But the corps says it conflicts with a previous ruling in Nebraska that mandated higher levels on the Missouri to help barge traffic.
On Sunday, the Department of Justice asked that Nebraska court to alter its ruling to allow the lower levels to proceed.
Barges flow on the lower Missouri between Sioux City, Iowa and St. Louis for eight months out of every year.