News Releases

Gavins Point releases to reach 20,000 cfs by Thursday, Fort Randall releases at zero until Friday

Northwestern Division
Published March 20, 2019
At zero releases, the river bed is exposed below Fort Randall Dam. The Pickstown boat ramp is only able to launch very small boats at this time due to zero water releases, and the Randall Creek boat ramp is unusable. Venturing out onto the river bed presents a safety concern and the public is strongly advised to stay on shore.

At zero releases, the river bed is exposed below Fort Randall Dam. The Pickstown boat ramp is only able to launch very small boats at this time due to zero water releases, and the Randall Creek boat ramp is unusable. Venturing out onto the river bed presents a safety concern and the public is strongly advised to stay on shore.

Gavins Point releases were reduced from 28,000 cfsto 24,000 cfs at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Releases will be reduced again this evening or tomorrow morning to 20,000 cfs, depending on the decline of Gavins Point inflows. Releases will remain at 20,000 cfs as long as conditions allow.
Fort Randall releases remain at 0 cfs. Releases are planned to increase to 4,000 cfs on Friday.

Gavins Point releases were reduced from 28,000 cfsto 24,000 cfs at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Releases will be reduced again this evening or tomorrow morning to 20,000 cfs, depending on the decline of Gavins Point inflows. Releases will remain at 20,000 cfs as long as conditions allow. Fort Randall releases remain at 0 cfs. Releases are planned to increase to 4,000 cfs on Friday.

The Corps has established webpage at go.usa.gov/xE6fC (the URL is case sensitive) that can be saved to your mobile phone’s home screen which provides links to the most up-to-date information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers including runoff and release schedules, links to the Omaha and Kansas City Districts, links to our social media accounts, and provides a link to the National Weather Service, Missouri Basin River Forecast Center.

The Corps has established webpage at go.usa.gov/xE6fC (the URL is case sensitive) that can be saved to your mobile phone’s home screen which provides links to the most up-to-date information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers including runoff and release schedules, links to the Omaha and Kansas City Districts, links to our social media accounts, and provides a link to the National Weather Service, Missouri Basin River Forecast Center.

Gavins Point Dam releases were reduced from 28,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 24,000 cfs this morning. Releases are scheduled to be reduced to 20,000 cfs by tomorrow morning. The Corps plans to maintain Gavins Point releases at 20,000 cfs as long as system conditions allow.

Releases from Fort Randall Dam are scheduled to be increased from 0 cfs to 4,000 cfs on Friday. Travel time from Fort Randall Dam to Gavins Point Dam is about 1.5 days.

“Our office will continue to monitor runoff conditions as the temperatures in the upper basin warm and begin to melt the remaining plains snowpack. Separately, the river bed is exposed below Fort Randall Dam. The Pickstown boat ramp is only able to launch very small boats at this time due to zero water releases, and the Randall Creek boat ramp is unusable. Venturing out onto the river bed presents a safety concern and the public is strongly advised to stay on shore,” said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Water Management Division.

The Gavins Point pool elevation is 1208.5 feet, declining about 0.4 foot in the last 24 hours.

The National Weather Service is forecasting high flows from melting snowpack in the coming weeks on the Big Sioux, Vermillion, and James Rivers in eastern South Dakota.

Frost depths remain very deep and soils are very wet in these basins and across the entire lower Missouri River basin. These conditions will result in a significant portion of the melted snowpack become direct runoff into smaller streams, and eventually, into the Missouri River.

Gavins Point release changes take two to three days to reach Omaha, three to four days to reach Nebraska City, and four to five days to reach Kansas City, Missouri.
Public safety remains a priority and local emergency managers are the best resource for information. For questions or concerns, call 211 to reach National Resource hotline and website geared to local area needs.

The Corps has established webpage at go.usa.gov/xE6fC (the URL is case sensitive) that can be saved to your mobile phone’s home screen. This webpage provides links to the most up-to-date information from the Corps, including runoff and release schedules, links to the Omaha and Kansas City Districts, links to our social media accounts, and a link to the National Weather Service, Missouri Basin River Forecast Center. We have also provided links to the “App” on Facebook and Twitter.


Contact
Eileen Williamson
402-996-3802
eileen.l.williamson@usace.army.mil

Release no. 19-017