KS Health Officials - Avoid Contact with Missouri River South of Omaha

Health Officials: Avoid Contact With Mo. River

Flooding Could Sweep Pathogens, Partially Treated Sewage Into River

POSTED: 8:36 am CDT June 15, 2011

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is advising people to avoid contact with the Missouri River.

The health department issued a health advisory Tuesday for all portions of the Missouri River that flow through the state. It advises that the flooding could sweep pathogens from surface water and partially treated sewage into the river.

The department is advising people to avoid contact with the river and to restrict pets and livestock from the river until flooding eases, which might not be for weeks. Pathogens can cause skin, ear, respiratory, eye and wound infections and diarrhea.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/health/28243811/detail.html#ixzz1PSDdN23g

Oh my...

It's a good think I don't fish, otherwise I'd have to refrain from that activity...

I've never seen any fisherman along its banks here in KC.

Sometimes at night I'll see (camp)fires on the banks (on the way to Weston, for example). I assume those folks are fishing.

Could be wrong, though...might be the latest victims of the economy.

There are probably a few fishermen. But you never see boats or other recreational uses. But in Omaha, boaters are all over the river. The current here - partly created by those huge recreational areas in the Dakotas - keeps us from being able to enjoy the river. It's a damned shame.

This is also why our riverfront is not developed.

But in Omaha... I remember visiting a friend in Omaha in the early 1980s. We took a hike through the Fontenelle Forest, a nature preserve with many trails. One such trail took us to the banks of the Missouri and I was really impressed with the majesty of the river. It seemed so calm and peaceful.

I never knew why the KC riverfront was undeveloped. Just assume the "Families" of KC didn't think it was worth it ($$$).

He and my mom had both worked flood relief in 1951, when the Kansas River flood destroyed a good section of KCK.

Caught and released some nice catfish. I'm sure there are more people fishing the river than you think.

I also fish the Mississippi in downtown St. Paul, MN. More nice catfish, along with plenty of other species. I release all of them, too, but I release all the fish I catch. I see few others fishing in St. Paul, but I know of many who do.

I was in St. Paul last summer and we were amazed by the number of fishermen on the river. The parks along the MS were also gorgeous. You just don't see that here. It isn't safe because of the current. Considering the local lakes are packed with fishermen, it's a drastic difference from the few who fish the MO River.

The politics of water and where dams are built and the size of the lakes behind the dams is very interesting.

of St. Paul, and another one a few miles downriver, so the river is reasonably tame. I even take my 12' aluminum boat out in it for fishing from time to time. But, there's a nice dock in downtown St. Paul in Harriet Island Park where fishing is great. Whenever I need a relaxing few hours, I go down there with a lawn chair and catch catfish and carp and a few other species. Even caught a nice walleye once from that dock. I rarely see other anglers on the dock, but people fish there frequently at night.

I agree with Brownback for once.

The areas they protect are "saved" at the expense of other communities downstream:grr:

before all the fancy dams & levee systems, nature was an equal-opportunity ravager, and places that were routinely "targeted" often chose higher ground to rebuild on after a flood...and they also had the support & sympathy of nearby people who were not as devastated.

Corrupt town governments are largely to blame for a lot of the current woes because they allow/encourage building in areas that should never have been built up.

nt

power plant just 20 miles up-river.

No, it's the sewage we need to be wary of.

;)