Highlander wrote:
The requirement to create the Pittsburgh environment would be small dams downstream of KC (and they would require locks to accommodate barge traffic). Some kind of weir to control debris upstream would help too. That said, there is no reason why we can't have a significantly better environment at riverside as Pittsburgh and many other cities do have.
I'd personally advocate strongly against putting dams on the stretch of the Missouri. The ecosystem there has been screwed enough as it is, so idea of putting a dam in just to make the river enjoyable is a pretty flimsy reason.
A better thing to do, and one that would be beneficial in the long term, is to widen the river (stating, at very least, at the northern edge of Leavenworth). The river itself won't be widened per say, but there would be an ton of side channels built along the floodplain. These channels would be of varying size, turn for increased length, and constantly diverge/converge with the river and themselves; this effectively turns that stretch into a braided river and the floodplain into an alluvial plain. With some negotiation, you could even have some going through Fairfax and NKC. On top of this, a good chunk (if not all) of that land on the floodplain should be converted to marshland; of course with compensation given to farmers.
Several partial barriers (extending 3/5ths or less of the width) installed alternately would assist with debris and, at certain points, would encourage flow into the side channels. If it is power that we want, they could possibly be installed in those barriers; in any case, they should be non-dam hydroelectric plants.
This, more or less, would end up converting that stretch of the Missouri back to a controlled version of its former self. Increased surface area through the side channels mean decreased flow overall, which not only would make the river more assessable but would help with flood mitigation. Putting wetlands back in would help to decrease the flow even more and filter a lot of pollution out. The added bonus is that with these wetlands, recreational opportunities for the metro jump significantly and makes the city appear progressive.
Even the side channels can end up being recreational, with, among other stuff, possible side pools of said channels encouraging the implementation of beaches.