JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Senators from Missouri and North Dakota will be working together to address flood control issues along the Missouri River.
The two states often have been at odds over how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should manage the dams that control the flow of the Missouri River. But residents in both states have expressed concerns this year after the Corps released record amounts of water because of heavy rains and snow melts, causing widespread floods.
Missouri Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill said Thursday they're teaming with North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven and Kent Conrad to launch the "Missouri River Working Group." They plan an initial meeting during the week of July 11.
The senators say they'll evaluate the factors that led to this year's flooding and ways to avoid similar problems in the future.