Welcome to the Lower Missouri River Navigation Informational Page

One of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) primary missions is to provide safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems for movement of commerce, national security needs and recreation. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1945 authorized a 9-foot-deep by 300-foot-wide navigation channel. To maintain the channel, the Corps constructed the Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP) generally from Sioux City to the mouth at St. Louis, a distance of 735 miles. A sinuous course of reverse bends and river width and depth was managed by constructing rock or piling structures called dikes and revetments. Dikes were constructed perpendicular to the flow and revetments were constructed parallel to the flow. The system of structures manages the movement of sediment to minimize channel shoaling providing a consistent and reliable navigation channel without the need for maintenance dredging.

The BSNP was declared complete in 1980 and transferred over to operations and maintenance. The Kansas City District is responsible for maintenance on approximately 5000 river training structures from mouth of the Missouri River, river mile 0, to Rulo, Nebraska, river mile 498. The Missouri River Area Office provides surveys, channel reconnaissance and structure maintenance with hired labor. This work is accomplished by utilizing specialized floating plant, towboats, survey boats, and various other river-related equipment. Structure maintenance activities are worked in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and the shipping industry.

Navigation Update

Current Conditions: 

Daily Gage Report (Radio Room Report) (Raw Data) 

Reservoir Elevations and Flows (Daily River Bulletin)

Ice Report 

Forecast Information:

Missouri River Forecast and Forecast Key

National Weather Service Missouri Basin River Forecast Center

The Missouri River Basin Water Management (MRBWM) website includes current conditions, forecast information, reports, and copies of Annual Operating Plan information.

Click HERE for Corps weekly reservoir forecast (updated every Wednesday afternoon). 

Missouri River Navigation Charts

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Missouri River Paper Navigation Charts have been updated and are available in digital format at the link(s) below. The full book is available as a single download or single sheets are available. Electronic navigation charts for the Missouri are available at http://ienccloud.us in the S-57 format.

Lower Mo River Nav Photos

A group of six people stand near a river bank with trees in the background and vegetation in the foreground.
Four men sit in a row of chairs while another man, standing at a podium, moderates a discussion in front of a crowd of people.
A man in a military uniform stands behind a podium and speaks to a crowd.
A group of a few dozen people stand in the lobby of a building and look up for an aerial photo.
A group of Kansas City District workers associated with navigation repairs to the Missouri River join David Best, team lead and contracting officer for the civil contracting branch, and Col. Travis Rayfield, commander, to discuss the signing of the Multiple Award Task Order Contract – known as a MATOC – accounting for $27 million in repairs to river training structures on the river, Aug. 16, 2022.
A Kansas City District work boat performs river bottom surveys while taking part in hydrodynamic dredging operations on the Missouri River November 11, 2020. The Engineering Research and Development Center brought the system to Kansas City District from Vicksburg, Miss., to assist in clearing shoals that developed on the Missouri River due to damages from flooding to the river control structures. The device enabled the combined team to redirect sandy material back into suspension in the current of the river and away from the built-up areas that impede navigation on the river.

Contact Us

Missouri River Area Office

790 East 224 Highway

Napoleon, MO 64074

(816) 240-8131

Email us.

Daily Gages and Barge Traffic can be found on our Facebook page!

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The Missouri River Area Office is open between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our boat ramp is available during hours of operation. This office is not open on Federal Holidays or weekends.

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Guide to Recreation

                                Cover (PDF)

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