OMAHA, NE – In response to recent heavy rains and runoff in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa, releases from Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams will be reduced, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today.

"The reduction in releases will correspond with high flows on the unregulated tributaries, particularly the James, Big Sioux and Little Sioux Rivers, which enter the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam," said John Remus, chief of the Corps' Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.

Fort Randall releases were reduced from 55,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 47,000 cfs Thursday morning.  Fort Randall releases are scheduled to be further reduced over the next couple days. 

"The extent of the Fort Randall release reduction will be based on how the runoff from yesterday's rain impacts the Gavins Point reservoir," added Remus.

Gavins Point releases will be reduced from 58,000 cfs to 46,000 cfs over a 3-day period starting on Friday.  The releases will be reduced 4,000 cfs a day.  The Gavins Point releases will be maintained at 46,000 cfs until the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa, peaks, which is expected to occur early next week. 

Once the Missouri River peaks at Sioux City, the Corps plans to increase Gavins Point releases back to 58,000 cfs to continue evacuating the stored flood waters from this last spring and summer.

Weekly updates on basin conditions, reservoir levels and other topics of interest can be viewed here: http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/weeklyupdate.pdf.