 In 1945 , the USACE began the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project , which would permanently increase the river 's navigation channel to a width of 300 feet ( 91 m ) and a depth of nine feet ( 2 @.@ 7 m ) . During work that continues to this day , the 735 @-@ mile ( 1 @,@ 183 km ) navigation channel from Sioux City to St. Louis has been controlled by building rock dikes to direct the river 's flow and scour out sediments , sealing and cutting off meanders and side channels , and dredging the riverbed . However , the Missouri has often resisted the efforts of the USACE to control its depth . In 2006 , several U.S. Coast Guard boats ran aground in the Missouri River because the navigation channel had been severely silted . The USACE was blamed for failing to maintain the channel to the minimum depth . 
 In 1945 , the USACE began the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project , which would permanently increase the river <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>navigation channel to a width of 300 feet ( 91 m ) and a depth of nine feet ( 2 @.@ 7 m ) . During work <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>continues</mark></a> to this day , the 735 @-@ mile ( 1 @,@ 183 km ) navigation channel from Sioux City to St. Louis <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> been controlled by building rock <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>dikes</mark></a> to direct the river <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>flow and scour out sediments , sealing and cutting off meanders and side channels , and dredging the riverbed . However , the Missouri <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>has</mark></a> often resisted the efforts of the USACE to control its depth . In 2006 , several U.S. Coast Guard boats ran aground in the Missouri River because the navigation channel <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>had</mark></a> been severely silted . The USACE was blamed for failing to maintain the channel to the minimum depth . 
In 1945 , the USACE began da Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project , which would permanently increase tdariver  navigation channel to a width of 300 feet ( 91 m ) and a depth of nine feet ( 2 @.@ 7 m ) . During wrk continue to this day , the 735 @-@ mile ( 1 @,@ 183 km ) navigation channel from Sioux City to St. Louis done been controlled by building rock dike to direct the river  flow and scour out sediments , sealing and cutting off meanders and side channels , and dredging thdaiverbed . However , the Missouri done often resisted the efforts of the USACE to control its depth . In 2006 , several U.S. Coast Guard boats ran aground in the Missouri River bc the navigation channel done been severely silted . The USACE was blamed for failing to maintain the channel to the minimum depth .