The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is entrusted to provide safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems for moving commerce, national security needs, and supporting recreation. The 1945 Rivers and Harbors Act authorized a 9-foot-deep by 300-foot-wide navigation channel on the Missouri River for 735 miles, from Sioux City, Iowa to the mouth at St. Louis. The Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP) exists to maintain the authorized navigation channel. By constructing rock or piling structures called dikes (perpendicular to the flow) and revetments (parallel to the flow), the resulting system of structures manage sediment movement to minimize channel shoaling and provide a consistent and reliable navigation channel that does not require maintenance dredging.

The BSNP was completed in 1980 with the Kansas City District responsible for maintenance and operations on approximately 5000 river training structures within the reach from river miles 0 to 498 at Rulo, Nebraska. The Missouri River Area Office provides surveys, channel reconnaissance and structure maintenance with hired labor. Work is accomplished with a specialized floating plant, towboats, survey boats, and other river-related equipment. Structure maintenance activity is conducted in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and shipping industry.