Iowa, Nebraska Withdraw From Missouri River Group

LINCOLN, NE - Iowa and Nebraska are withdrawing from an association of Missouri River states and tribes because of a dispute over how to manage the river, which flooded large parts of both states last summer.

Representatives for Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad announced Friday the states would pull their membership from the Missouri River Association of Tribes and States.

Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht says the states are withdrawing because of a dispute with Montana over how to manage the river, with downriver states wanting to focus on flood control.

Iowa and Nebraska have pushed to release more water from upriver reservoirs in the spring to prevent the kind of extended flooding that occurred last summer in both states and Missouri.