The future of the MacLean Bottoms boat ramp is in limbo as the meandering mighty Missouri cuts away the shoreline and rock which support the ramp.

Burleigh County commissioners got a report from North Dakota Game and Fish Department at the Monday county commission meeting about conditions at the ramp.

Game and Fish's Bob Frohlich, who helped put the ramp in during the mid-1980s, recalled that it was so shallow around the ramp that a dredge was used to remove material. But the river is changing, and it is now more than 40 feet deep just 100 feet from the ramp, according to a recent survey by the department.

Frohlich told commissioners there may be some money available for improvements to the ramp, which is located about 14 miles south of Bismarck.

"The reason we want to work in this area is twofold. First, this is a very popular fishing area. Second, it's an area that suffered damage again this winter and has in the past," Frohlich said. "Back in February, we thought we could dump more rock in there. But as the river meanders, it changes, and this is one of the worst areas. It has cut a channel 42 feet deep, and it's deep like this all the way up and down the river."

While the MacLean Bottoms ramp is still usable, the river has been cutting away the bank and the riprap that has been put in place previously, Frohlich said. With the Army Corps of Engineers planning to increase Missouri flows in the near future, the greater volume of water is expected to cause further damage through erosion.

Instead of dumping more money into the MacLean site, Game and Fish is considering four options, according to Frohlich. First, do nothing and see what happens. Second, dump more rock off the ramp and see if it stabilizes. Third, relocate the ramp in the near vicinity to either to the north or south. Finally, relocate a ramp even further to the north.

Relocation doesn't seem to be an option, since the river has cut a channel close to the banks miles to the north and south.

"I don't know what to say," Frohlich said. "I don't know if dumping rock is feasible, I don't know if anything is feasible. It's ugly. I don't know what to do."

Game and Fish just collected the data on the flows and river depths along the MacLean Bottoms and it provided no indication of any way to stabilize the ramp area.

"I don't think dumping rock is even practical. There's 42 feet of water. We'd have to dump thousands and thousands of tons of rock," Frohlich said.

Commissioner Marlan Haakenson asked if time was on the ramp's side, and if the available money had to be used now, or would it be available later.

"If it's a big enough problem and an important enough site we'll find the money to do something," Frohlich responded. "But time is not on our side. Flows are projected to go up to 20,000 cfs in May. That means there will be more water, with more velocity and more erosion."

Park board member Dave Bement said he had seen slippage of the bank near Misty Waters, north of Bismarck. Frohlich said that the river was causing problems at the former Burnt Creek and Graner landings. Game and Fish will continue to monitor the Missouri landings, but noted it takes six months to a year to get a corps permit for improvements.

Commissioner Jim Peluso suggested that the people who use the MacLean ramp be surveyed.

"We should talk to the people who use it a lot. Maybe it's not such a bad idea to get their feelings," Peluso said.

Frohlich said eventually the river will change its course, but it could take many years. He pointed out that when developer Kevin Turnbow built his Southport Marina, there was 20 feet of water and boats had no problem getting in and out. Now there is a dredge in place, as a sandbar the size of a city block is blocking the marina from the river.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)