EAST PEORIA HOSTS 2011 UMIMRA CONFERENCE

Feb 11, 2011  |  Today's News

The Illinois Corn Growers Association has long supported efforts to improve our river transportation systems in Illinois and in other areas of the country. With over half the corn grown in Illinois leaving the state via truck, rail, or river, maintaining our transportation infrastructure has remained a high priority for ICGA to address. The Upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers Association is a valued partner in this effort. UMIMRA held their annual meeting today in East Peoria.

There were more than 100 attendees at the meeting, many representing drainage districts and organizations tied to rivers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was on hand to answer questions about levee requirements and frustrations amongst the drainage districts.

Federal funding looks very conservative for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and their projects that impact the river systems. For Rock Island District Commander COL Shawn McGinley says, “that operations and maintenance is really our forte” and funding for those projects is adequate for the District’s needs.

UMIMRA’s mission is to:

  • Improve and maintain the flood control systems in the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri River Valleys.
  • Promote efficient navigation systems and policies for the navigable rivers of the region.
  • Encourage long-range planning to enhance the quality of life and ensure a healthy economic future for the river valleys.
  • Educate and inform the public and decision-makers about flood control, navigation and environmental issues.
  • Develop balanced relationships between flood protection, navigation, environmental, economic and recreational interests.
  • Support the rights of private property owners living and working in the river valleys.