Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Structure and Function

1. Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Structure and Function Presentation to ORSANCO-UMRBA Joint Meeting – Policy Session June 5, 2013

2. Presentation Overview • Resource and Institutional Setting • UMRBA History • Structure & Governance • Mission • Activities and Accomplishments • Strategic Plan and Priorities • Questions and Discussion

3. Upper Mississippi River: Resource Setting • 189,000 square miles in basin • 1,300 miles in total length • 850 miles navigable, 816 interstate • Avg. Annual Discharge: 9,200 cfs at St. Paul 205,000 cfs at Thebes • Leveed floodplain 3%  53%  83% • Channel complexity • Basin and tributary influence

4. Upper Mississippi River: Resource Setting • 23 community water systems serving over 2 million people (an underestimate) • 29 power plants • Approximately 300 wastewater dischargers • 29 locks and dams designed for navigation (but limited ability to regulate flows) • Over 100 million tons of commodities shipped annually (grain more than half of total)

5. Upper Mississippi River: Resource Setting • More than 250,000 acres in National Wildlife Refuge • Over 120 species of fish, 30 species of mussels, 300 species of migratory birds • Millions of recreational visits per year

6. Upper Mississippi River: Institutional Setting • Five states, multiple agencies within states (environmental, natural resource, transportation, and others • Several federal agencies (USACE, USFWS, USGS, US EPA and others) • Local and regional entities • Commercial interests (shipping, recreation, industry, and others) • Environmental interests (NGOs) • Citizens (residents and river users) • Universities • Professional associations

7. UMRBA History Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission 1972 Formed by Governors under the authority of Title II of the 1965 Water Resources Planning Act 1981 Terminated by Presidential Executive Order Upper Mississippi River Basin Association Aug 1981 Joint Governors’ Resolution Dec 1981 Articles of Association signed by Governors’ representatives 1983-1984 Governors’ Executive Orders 1986 Congressional recognition in WRDA 1997 Joint Governors’ Resolution 2007 Joint Governors’ Statement on Water Quality

8. UMRBA Board - State Representatives Illinois DNR Iowa Agriculture, DNR*, Transportation, Economic Development, Utilities Board Minnesota EQB DNR, PCA, DOT, MDA Alternates Missouri DNR* Wisconsin DNR * *State DNR has both natural resource and environmental quality functions • All are Governors’ appointees • Represent a State’s position as a whole, including internal coordination among agencies, with Governor’s office, etc.

9. Federal Liaisons Agriculture(NRCS) Department of the Army (USACE) Environmental Protection Agency Homeland Security (FEMA & Coast Guard) Interior(Fish and Wildlife Service and USGS) Transportation (Maritime Administration) • Federal liaison members do not have voting rights. • Role of Federal liaison members established in bilateral “Partnering Agreements” with UMRBA

10. Meetings & Decision-Making • Quarterly Meetings of UMRBA Board, open to the public. • Location rotates (e.g. St. Louis, Quad Cities, La Crosse, Twin Cities). • Often held in conjunction with related ecosystem restoration meetings (UMRR EMP-CC) and/or water quality meetings • Annual (February) meeting includes the election of Chair and Vice Chair • Seek consensus in decisions and voting. Each State has one vote.

11. Budget, Staffing and Structure FY 2013* Budget = $650,000 FY 2013 Revenue Sources • State Dues and Water Quality “Assessments” 48% • Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts 51% • Interest on Investments & Other Income 1% Staff • 4 permanent staff (Exec Director, 2 Program Directors, Admin Assistant) • 2-3 project staff (Spill response mapping/planning for US EPA) • All located in St. Paul, MN Structured as 501(c)(3) non-profit, with the five states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin being sole members. *UMRBA uses a July 1-June 30 fiscal year.

12. UMRBA Work Groups and Affiliated Groups Hydropower Ad Hoc Group 2010 Water Quality Executive Committee 2006 Water Quality Task Force 1999 Hazardous Spills Group 1989 UMRR EMP Coordinating Committee 1987 (formed by the Corps of Engineers, staffed by UMRBA) Additionally, a floodplain managers group has met as needed since 1993.

13. UMRBA Mission Statement and Value Proposition UMRBA Mission Statement • Purpose: Facilitate dialogue and cooperative action regarding water and related land resource issues in the basin • More Specifically: • Serve as a regional interstate forum for the discussion, study, and evaluation of river-related issues of common concern to the States • Facilitate and foster cooperative planning and coordinated management • Create opportunities and means for the States and Federal agencies to exchange information • Develop regional positions on river issues and serve as an advocate of the States’ collective interests before Congress and Federal agencies Value Proposition • UMRBA is the linchpin that enables its member states to achieve their collective vision for integrated, multi-purpose management of the Upper Mississippi River System and tis watershed.

14. UMRBA Fundamental Principles & Primary Functions Primary Functions • Regional interstate forum • Facilitate cooperative action & collaboration • Monitor issues • Foster communication, disseminate information • Identify & voice states collective interests • Augment member states’ capacity on river-related issues • Foster relationships with federal agencies and stakeholders • Shape federal investment policies (No direct program implementation, land management or regulatory functions.) Fundamental Principles • Consensus • Integrated Management • Regional Focus • Board Leadership • Flexibility • Collaboration • Best Available Information • Best Achievable Policy

15. UMRBA Accomplishments • Standing Forum for a Partnership of State and Federal Agencies on the UMR • Authorization & Implementation of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Environmental Management Program (UMRR-EMP) • Interbasin Diversion Charter • Upper Mississippi Spill Response Plan • Inland Sensitivity Atlas (under US EPA cooperative agreement) • NESP Authorization (supported by Industry/NGO/State Government coalition) • Interstate Water Quality (CWA) Coordination (minimum assessment reaches, ongoing consultation, shared tools & approaches)

16. UMRBA Strategic Plan Focus Areas

17. Strategic Plan Priorities - 2013

18. Questions and Discussion

19. Summary and Comparison:UMRBA Among Various Institutional Forms Interstate Compact ORSANCO, GLC Federal-State Compact Delaware River Basin Comm Interstate CommissionUMRBA Federal-State Commission UMRBC International Treaty Great Lakes WQ Agreement Federal Regional Council Midwest Natural Resources Grp Federal Regional Agency TVA Basin Interagency Committee AWRBIAC Intrastate Special District Florida WMDs Single Federal Administrator Colorado River Compact Federally Chartered & Private Corps St. Lawrence Seaway Nongovernmental Organizations Foundations, academic groups (Information from the 2006 ICWP Report: “Interstate Water Solutions for the New Millennium” )

20. Few Issues Small Budget and Staff Many Issues Large Budget and Staff Summary and Comparison:Where is UMRBA? No Authority Lots of Authority

21. Jurisdictional Complexity Low Public Outreach and Visibility Low Jurisdictional Complexity High Public Outreach and Visibility High Summary and Comparison:Where is UMRBA? Small Basin Big Basin