NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Foundation Document Overview Missouri National Recreational River and

Contact Information For more information about the Missouri National Recreational River Foundation Document, contact: [email protected] or (605) 665-0209 or write to: Superintendent, 508 East 2nd Street, Yankton, SD 57078 Purpose Significance

Significance statements express why Missouri National Recreational River resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation. Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit.

1. The Missouri National Recreational River is one of the more prominent places in the United States where two contrasting geologic landscapes come together. The ancient sea sediments of the Cretaceous period, such as the chalkstone bluffs, and the glacially altered terrain of the Pleistocene, are clearly visible.

2. The Missouri National Recreational River protects one of the last remnant examples in the nation of a dynamic The purpose of the Missouri National channel habitat in a large river system. It contains a Recreational River is to collaboratively mosaic of sandbars, backwaters, islands, side channels, work with multiple stakeholders to and riparian cottonwood forests that were historically preserve and protect the natural, found throughout the corridor. cultural, and recreational values of the last unchannelized and unimpounded 3. The Missouri National Recreational River serves as segments of North America’s longest a crossroads for a long and rich human history, past river along the South Dakota and and present, from early American Indians to European Nebraska border. American exploration, western steamboat commerce, and expansion to the West. The number and variety of prehistoric and historic resources, including prehistoric villages, steamboat wrecks, and , attest to the long history of human use.

4. The Missouri National Recreational River provides a multitude of recreational opportunities that are regionally significant and are enriched by the variety of access points, land-based trails, and a national water trail. The ever-changing river provides visitors the unique opportunity to frequently re-explore the park.

5. The Missouri National Recreational River provides rare and exceptional vistas of expansive river valleys, impressive geologic features, and a wide, braided river channel with sandbars, snags, and islands. Fundamental Resources and Values Interpretive Themes

Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, Interpretive themes are often described as the key stories processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or or concepts that visitors should understand after visiting other attributes determined to merit primary consideration a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts during planning and management processes because they are communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining are derived from—and should reflect—park purpose, its significance. significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete when it provides the structure necessary • Cultural Values for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to explore • Ecological Values and relate to all of the park significances and fundamental resources and values. • Fish and Wildlife Values • Ecosystem/Free-Flowing River. Whereas the Missouri • Free-Flowing Condition and Water Quality Values River was once a wild, meandering force for change cutting through the heart of America, the Missouri National • Geological Values Recreational River now protects rare stretches of this • Recreational Values national treasure, which creates a landscape for healthy biodiversity, for the uplifting and inspiration of humanity, • Scenic Values and to provide unique opportunities for the study of river dynamics and the resulting diverse habitats.

• Recreation. A network of interdependent partners provides a broad backdrop for a diversity of nature- and water-based activities that promote opportunities for visitors to escape daily life and engage in solitary, contemplative, and/or social recreational experiences at a variety of skill levels that will inspire, refresh, and invigorate them.

• Fish and Wildlife. The diversity of both abundant and rare species found at Missouri National Recreational River reflects the river’s complex ecosystems. These ecosystems are important not only for their biologic survival and ours, but also provide opportunities for research, recreation, appreciation, and lifelong learning not available elsewhere.

• Culture. In addition to its rich, multilayered 10,000 years of human history, the Missouri National Recreational River region is a living example of the ways in which people continue to struggle to balance the legal and cultural rights of individuals and communities with their impacts on the river’s natural processes. It also provides us with a place of reflection to consider where we ourselves stand in this delicate balance. Description

The Missouri River begins at the juncture of three tributaries operate seven different visitor or welcome centers along or near the at Three Forks, Montana, and flows southeast for 2,341 miles river. These partners and facilities include the Missouri National before joining the a few miles north of St. Recreational River Resource and Education Center, in Ponca State Louis, Missouri. It is the longest river in North America. The river Park, which is itself managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks is harnessed in its upper and middle reaches by a series of six Commission; the Yankton Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center; multipurpose and , and in its lower reaches it has the nonprofit Corps of Discovery Welcome Center; the U.S. Army been channelized for navigational purposes. Corps of Engineers’ Lewis and Clark Visitor Center near Gavins Point ; the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks’ The Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) consists of Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area; the Nebraska Game and o 90 and amerlain o 90 o 90 and Mitcell o 90 o 90 and iou Falls two units separated by , a managed 18 Parks Commission’s Niobrara State Park; 18and the U.S. Army Corps North by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with shoreline recreational 50 0 5 10 Kilometers of Engineers’ Fort Randall281 Dam Visitor Center. a 0 5 10 Miles s m e d e n s facilities owned and operated by the States of South Dakota and R Lake iv Missouri National Campground Canoe access e r Andes e Recreational River ae Franc a Nebraska. The 39-Mile District runs downriver from just below is 37 a 281 18 50 Unpaved road Primitive campsite Boat launch s e 81 near Pickstown to Running Water, South I YANKTON SIOUX CI Lewis and Clark Hiking trail Marina INDIAN RESERVATION National Historic Dakota, above the reservoir. It also includes the last 8 miles of Trail driving route ort ana am 46 46 50 iitor Cntr Fort Pickstown I Wagner Randall iori ationa crationa ir Verdigre Creek (also spelled Verdigris) and the lower 20 miles normation summer onl Dam ia o te I a SOUTH DAKOTA e roo u I re iori ationa crationa ir o inner of the Niobrara River where they join, then flow into the main l ort ana r 18 l e 29 SOUTH DAKOTA a e itoric it I r d IC e NEBRASKA n v a 50 i KARL Avon R stem of the Missouri River. The 59-Mile District extends from R Tyndall Marty e MUNDT O re 12 ya NATIONAL te IC 19 Tr e 11 ail l WILDLIFE u just below near Yankton, South Dakota, r o REFUGE 37 u nc Tabor io a anton io re e a rat onmnt 281 ain oint ationa i

downriver to Ponca State Park in Nebraska. The Missouri 12 roo N atcr an arim Yankton 11 nin a Butte tive iori ationa crationa ir aartr i ottom A me II 52 50 itoric riian ri rica n S CI I C iri ar National Recreational River is managed by the National cen 0 ic CI M By Springfield 52 II Spencer ISS wa ames River IOWA OU y IIC II Park Service in cooperation with other partnership agencies, Nio R avins sland ae r I R e 48 ara I Santee is e oint R Lynch V and a Dam 121 t na n E lar o i li ve 12 R r ant 50 il r r Cor of e A including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Cif 54C rm iv T icor e R O tanin 37 K A com 3 Running ar I C St. Helena D i an Car Cntr ron A Verdel roo Water Vermillion H Wildlife Service, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, CI ro T W iitor Cntr o Cr cration ra oat U O O I iorara tat ar 54D sland rmiion S iitor Cntr Ca Cont ar t ra and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. normation 50 14H roo 121 ottom summer onl ormon 29 Niobrara Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway Wynot 19 e onmnt 11 While the authorized boundary for the Missouri National re 12

N Crofton rr n d I K e ir O rr e B E SANTEE SIOUX e roo r e d R E n Recreational River includes 69,124 total acres on both the e r 15 R A R Elk Point e R l A C OF NEBRASKA oton o and amerlain o and Mitcell o and iou Falls onia 90 o 90 90 o 90 a 90 RI 57 o Maskell t a 18 VER 14 olcano o 90 and amerlain Nebraska ando 90 South Dakota sides ofo the 90 and river,Mitcell the National Park o 90 o 90 and iou Falls RESERVATION ction it 281 E 81 i 18 onca tat ar 18 R 13 North ort nit 12 G Newcastle o 18 0 5 10 Kilometers I io 50 North u e Mars Service currently owns relatively little land along the river (1,101 D 0 5 10 Kilometers 281 50 R Hartington

a 0 5 10 Miles E s 281 m Center 84 R

e 0 5 V 10 Miles i e a Verdigre v d s s m e n acres). Thus, management of this nationally significant resource 84 e e r

d e n R s onca tat ar e Lake iv Canoe access R Missouri National Campground r 26E e i onam Lake v iitor Cntr Andes r Recreational River Missouri National Campground Canoe access e e a e ae Franc Andes is very much a collaborative partnership effort. r Recreational River l M is 37 ae i IS ae Franci Wells Ponca S 75 281 s 37 Unpaved road Boat launch a 121 15 O a 18 50 Primitive campsite O s 281 18 50 Unpaved road Primitive campsite Boat launch u U e a State t s 81 l R I e 81 a I R North YANKTON SIOUX I Park 9 w IV Sioux CI YANKTON SIOUX E Sioux Lewis and Clark Hiking trail Marina Tr R City CI Lewis and Clark Hiking trail NEBRASKAMarina ai City t o INDIAN RESERVATION While influenced by controlled releases from Fort Randall National Historic l S INDIAN RESERVATION National Historic ce onmnt Can i o alentine Trail driving route n Trail driving route ic ort ana am 46 46 50 46 atr B ort ana am 46 50 20 yw 20 iitor Cntr Fort I Wagner and Gavins Point Dams, the Missouri Nationalanctar Recreational Creighton a i an Car Pickstown iitor Cntr Fort I Wagner 108 20 y South o Randall Randall Pickstown 59 Intrrti Cntr iori ationa crationa ir iori ationa crationa ir Sioux Fort normation summer onl Dam onormation summer onl Dam ia ia o O'Neill 12 Dode te t a River remains in a generallye free-flowing condition. The City I u SOUTH I DAKOTAa SOUTHI DAKOTA ee roo e roo u I o inner r re iori ationa crationa ir iori ationa crationa ir o inner l r l ort ana l r I l ort ana 18 18 e e 29 29 a a e SOUTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA 59-Mile District containse a wide, meandering channel, itoric it itoric it I r d 20 I r IC d IC e e NEBRASKA n NEBRASKA n v 13 v a a 50 50 i IIC i KARL Avon KARL Avon R R Sioux R R Tyndall Tyndall Marty Marty 275e e Gateway MUNDT MUNDT O O 281 re 12 re 12 9 shifting sandbars,ya secondary channels, and some ofya the last Airport NATIONAL NATIONAL te te IC 19 IC 19 35 11 Tr Tra e e 11 a i l l N WILDLIFE il l 75 I 29 WILDLIFE u u 57 O r r E u B W REFUGE o REFUGE 37 u on nc 37remaininganton forested io floodplain and floodplain wetland habitatsTabor o io R A c anton io a Tabor i 81 A a r 77 e S re e a rat onmnt 20 K e a rat onmnt 281 A 281 ain oint ationa i ain oint ationa i roo Yankton 275 11 roo 12 N atcr an arim nin a Yankton o rand sland 11o Norol o Norol o Fremont o maa 12 N t atcr an arim i nin a Butte iv iori ationa crationa ir aartr t on the Missourie River. The 39-Mile District is influenced i Butte ive ottom Am iori ationa crationa ir aartr A 52 50 ottom m 52 eri II50 itoric riian ri eri II can itoric riian ri can Sc CI I C iri ar Sc CI I Cen iri ar 0 en by controlledM releasesic B from Fort RandallSpringfield Dam for powerCI II 0 M ic B Spencer Springfield IS CIyw II 52 IOWA Spencer IS yw SO ay 52 ames River IIC IIIOWA S ay U ames River IIC II OU Nio R avins sland N ae R r I R avins slande 48 io I ara generatione knownI as “power peaking.” ForestedSantee chalkstoneis e oint 48 ae ra R R Lynch V oint and a Dam 121 t na n r I is E lar o a i Santee e i Lynch V v and a R r Dam 121 t na n ll r R E e 12 lar ant o Cor of 50 i e A i r li ve 12 R r ant Cif 50 54C il r rm iv T Cor of e icor A O r v T e R Cif 54C tanin 37 rm i K bluffs adjacent to gently rolling to flat agricultural bottomland O icor A e R com 3 tanin 37 Running K ar I C St. Helena D A ron A com i an Car Cntr 3 H ar Running I CVerdel roo D Vermillion Water St. Helena CIron ro T W i an Car Cntr o Cr cration ra A oat U Verdel roo iitorVermillion Cntr H IO Water CI ro T W O mark both the Nebraskaiorara tat ar and South Dakota shorelines. U sland S iitor Cntr o54D Cr cration ra oat O rmiion O I iorara tat ar iitor Cntr sland S Ca Cont ar t ra 54D rmiion 50 iitor Cntr Ca Cont ar t ra roo normation 121 14H 50 roo normation ottom summer onl ormon 14H 29 121 Niobrara Outlawottom Trail Scenic Byway summer onl Wynot 19 e onmnt 29 11 ormon Niobrara re Visitors to the Missouri National Recreational RiverWynot encounter 19 12 e Outlaw TrailN Scenic Byway Crofton 11 e onmnt d rr n r I K 12 e ir O rr N e CroftonE SANTEE SIOUX e roo B r rr n e d E d I K R n ir O e rr r 15

e A R E many of the wide variety of recreational activities and heritagee Elk Point R e B e SANTEE SIOUX R roo

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A a R Elk Point R R o Maskell t a e R I 57 olcano l A C OF NEBRASKA VER 14 oton RESERVATION onia ction it a experiences that are available betweenE Ponca State Park 81 R 281 o Maskell t a i IVER 14 57 olcano onca tat ar R 13 RESERVATION ction it ort nit 12 G o E 81 i Newcastle 281 I onca tat ar io R u e Mars 13 D 12 and Fort Randall Dam. From one end to the other, there are ort nit G o R Newcastle I i Hartington o E u e Mars D Center 84 R

V i

R Verdigre v

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E 84 almost 50 different locations on or along the river that provide r Center e 84 R

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84 onam r iitor Cntr e e onca tat ar M e l i opportunitiesr for recreation and interpretation, from popular, 26E I onam S 75 Wells iitor Cntr Ponca S a 121 15 O e O l M u U State i I t S 75 l R Wells Ponca S a I North aheavily used venues, such as121 Riverside Park in Yankton, South15 O w RIV Sioux Park O 9 Sioux u U T E State t r R City NEBRASKA l R a City t o a I R North il Park 9 w IV Sioux Sc onmnt Can i E Sioux e o alentine Dakota, to those less well known, such as the Old Baldy T R City ni ra City t o c atr NEBRASKA il B 20 S onmnt yw 20 anctar Creighton ce a i an Car Can i o alentine n y South 108 59 ic 20 Intrrti Cntr o overlook in Boyd County, Nebraska. In total, MNRR partners B atr y Sioux Fort 20 O'Neill w 20 12 Dode anctar Creighton a i an Car y South City 108 59 20 Intrrti Cntr o Sioux Fort O'Neill I 12 City Dode 20 IIC 13 I Sioux 281 275 9 Gateway 20 35 Airport 13

IIC N Sioux 75 I 29 57 O E 275 Gateway B W 281 9 R A 81 35 Airport 77 A 20 SK 75 N I 29 A 57 O 275 E o rand sland o Norol o Norol B W o Fremont o maa R A 81 77 A 20 SK A 275 o rand sland o Norol o Norol o Fremont o maa