The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is increasing releases from Gavins Point Dam today in response to increased runoff into the Missouri River above the dam, the agency announced today.

Gavins Point Dam releases were increased from 17,000 cubic feet per second to 22,000 cfs at noon today.  A second increase from 22,000 cfs to 27,000 cfs Is planned for later today.  Releases may be further increased over the next few days, depending on the extent of inflows into Gavins Point. 

"The increase in Gavins Point releases is in response to heavy rains and melting snow in the 16,000-square mile drainage area between Fort Randall Dam and Gavins Point Dam," said John Remus, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Missouri River Basin Water Management Division based in Omaha.

Releases from Fort Randall Dam, the Missouri main stem dam immediately upstream of Gavins Point Dam, were reduced to 0 cfs this morning.

"Even with releases from Fort Randall shut off, the runoff from the heavy rainfall and melting snow, primarily in the Niobrara River basin and its small tributaries, will quickly fill the small amount of flood storage in the Gavins Point reservoir," added Remus. 

The Corps is working the National Weather Service to monitor conditions. The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings along the Missouri River and its tributaries from southeastern South Dakota to St. Louis.  More information on those warnings is available at https://www.weather.gov/mbrfc/

The Corps' lower river forecast, which is updated each morning, is available on its website at: http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/GRFT.pdf

Additional information will is also available on our weekly briefing at: http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/weeklyupdate.pdf