Early UMRCC biologists were concerned about the eventual effects of sedimentation on backwater environments, but were unable to do anything to prevent it. UMRCC state and federal biologists are now addressing sedimentation on several fronts. One of these is through the Environmental Management Program (EMP). The EMP is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the five UMR states. One of its objectives is to collect sedimentation data and to investigate management alternatives for restoring backwaters impacted by sedimentation.

Solving this problem will be an extraordinary task because it will involve taking actions throughout the 100+ million acres of the UMR watershed. Reducing sediment input will require remedial actions from the river's mainstem (reducing stream bank erosion) to the heads of tributaries (farm land or "sheet" erosion) hundreds of miles upstream.

The Corps of Engineers is currently investigating a major expansion of the navigation system which is likely to have significant impacts on UMR fish and wildlife resources. UMRCC biologists will play a major role in assuring that the needs of UMR fish and wildlife resources are adequately considered.

The Mississippi River is among the world's greatest river ecosystems. Along the 1,859,000 acres of water, wetlands, and floodplain of the mainstem river between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Cairo, Illinois, there are 118 species of fish, and over 40 species of freshwater mussels. Up to 40% of North America's ducks, geese, swans, and wading birds use the Mississippi flyway. Although there are numerous government agencies who manage multiple aspects of the river's resources, there is no single entity with the authority to manage the UMR ecosystem in its entirety.

In spite of the UMRCC's 50 years of coordination efforts among the states and federal agencies; limited authorities, jurisdictional boundaries, inadequate funding, etc. prevent the application of comprehensive management strategies which are needed to ensure that the UMR ecosystem remains productive for future generations. To meet these continuing future challenges the UMRCC is calling for the development of a comprehensive ecosystem management strategy to guide the multiple UMR organizations in forming a true partnership to manage the river as an ecosystem rather than as bits and pieces.

Although it is now being called "ecosystem management" this is the same situation that spurred the original group of biologists to organize back in 1943. The exception is that now, instead of just unifying fishing regulations, etc. one of the goals of ecosystem management would be to develop a unified resource management policy to preserve and enhance the Upper Mississippi River ecosystem. Such a policy would hopefully result in management actions needed to maintain the long-term health of Mississippi River natural resources for future generations. Such an ecosystem management is likely to require new legislation to alter the current institutional framework. Such an undertaking may prove to be the UMRCC's greatest challenge of the next 50 years, and the most critical.

Over the years, the UMRCC has undergone several adjustments in its organization to pursue its goal of preserving fish and wildlife resources of the UMR. These included such actions as the formation of the Recreational and Law Enforcement Technical sections to address the problems created by public use. The UMRCC accomplishes its work primarily through the voluntary efforts of the many river resource managers and a very modest budget supported by annual dues of the five member states. The Committee recognized the need to have a permanent employee manage the day-to-day affairs of the Committee. In 1958 the US Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to fund the appointment of a permanent UMRCC Coordinator. The US Fish and Wildlife Service continues to fund a biologist and support staff for the UMRCC. In the late 1960's the Committee also realized that the organization must have a constitution to guide the Committee. The UMRCC's current Constitution was approved in 1975.

Current UMRCC activities are governed by an Executive Board which consists of one voting representative from each of the five UMR states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Chairmanship of the Executive Board rotates from year to year. Also on the Board are nonvoting members consisting of five Technical Committee Chairmen (Fisheries, Wildlife, Recreation, Water Quality, and Law Enforcement), an observer from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, and the UMRCC Coordinator. The Executive Board meets twice yearly to prioritize UMRCC conservation-oriented activities and issues which are carried out by the Coordinator and the Technical Sections. In addition to the state conservation agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service, several other organizations participate as cooperators. Professionals from the three US Army Corps of Engineers Districts (St. Paul, Minnesota, Rock Island, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri) are represented on the Technical Sections and provide support to many UMRCC activities. Other organizations such as the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, The Izaac Walton League of America, and the Environmental Protection Agency also participate in UMRCC functions.

The primary activity of the founding Committee was to conduct fishery investigations on the river. Considerable time was also devoted to developing uniform fishing regulations and standard definitions for various commercial fishing gear. Creating a standardized form for commercial fishermen to report their harvest proved to be a formidable task. Convincing fishermen to complete it accurately and return it was a major public relations challenge. Over the years, the UMRCC has focused on coordinating research activities among the state and federal natural research agencies rather than performing its own investigations. The UMRCC has assumed a leadership role on the UMR in fostering communication between the multiple state and federal agencies who manage the river's resources. UMR managers have held annual meetings since 1943 to discuss Mississippi River issues, ongoing research, and UMRCC projects. The proceedings of these meetings have been published annually by the UMRCC.

In addition to annual and fall meetings of the Technical Sections, the UMRCC disseminates information to its members and the public through a variety of mechanisms including:

• Publishing technical reports on fisheries, wildlife, recreation, and water quality.
• Publishing a bimonthly newsletter to keep UMRCC members informed about the latest events and issues on the river.
• Conducting/Sponsoring special workshops and symposia.
• Annually publishing a summary of current UMR scientific investigations.
• Maintaining a technical library and computerized database of over 3,000 documents relating to the Upper Mississippi River.
• Promoting an understanding and appreciation of UMR natural resources through presentations to public and private organizations having an interest in the river.