The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to increase releases from Gavins Point Dam from 35,000 cubic feet per second to 41,000 cfs later this week, conditions permitting.
The plan to increase releases is part of a commitment to remain as aggressive as possible with releases to maintain available flood control storage space in anticipation of above normal runoff for 2020.
“This is keeping with our aggressive strategy to maintain as much flood control storage as possible for as long as possible, said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. This will provide the greatest amount of flood risk reduction across the basin.
Releases will only be increased as long as the resulting downstream river stages are unlikely to impact the levee recovery effort, or contribute to downstream flooding
Additionally, increased releases from Gavins Point will be monitored to ensure pool levels do not impact intakes that supply water from the Gavins Point reservoir for municipal and sanitary water use.
“I encourage all interested parties to monitor National Weather Service river forecasts, Missouri River Water Management reports and set up weather alerts for the most up-to-date weather and river information,” said Remus.
Missouri River water managers communicate regularly with the National Weather Service. Reservoir release changes are shared with the NWS for incorporation into official river stage forecasts.
The next spring flood outlook from the National Weather Service will be issued Feb. 27.
The Corps’ updated monthly Missouri River upper basin runoff forecast will be released March 5.