News Releases

Missouri River public meetings canceled; options under consideration

Northwestern Division
Published March 23, 2020
Public Meetings are held each spring and fall across the Missouri River basin.

Public Meetings are held each spring and fall across the Missouri River basin. Fall public meetings provide an update on current year's runoff and reservoir operations as well as planned operations for the next year's runoff season. The Annual Operating Plan for the next year's runoff season is released for public comment in September, presented at the public meetings and finalized at the end of the calendar year. Spring public meetings provide a status of mountain snowpack, a runoff forecast for the year, and how operations during the runoff year will meet the authorized purposes for the Missouri River Mainstem System.

To further reduce potential exposure to COVID-19, public meetings on Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System operations have been canceled.

“To protect the public and Corps employees, and to adhere to guidance issued by state and local governments, we have canceled the public meetings originally scheduled for April 6-14.,” said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri Basin Water Management Division.

The meetings are normally held each spring and fall from Montana to Missouri.

Spring meetings typically provide a status of mountain snowpack, a runoff forecast for the year, and planned operations for the runoff year to meet the authorized purposes for the Missouri River Mainstem System.

“We are evaluating different options for presenting this information to the public. Sharing this information is important, but life, health and safety are our priority,” said Remus.

The Corps typically holds monthly calls for key stakeholders each month from January until June or July with the April call replaced with public meetings.

“We will schedule an April call for key stakeholders, but we want to ensure we can provide presentation materials to the public and receive their comments. We will share these plans as soon as they are finalized,” said Remus.

 


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

Release no. 20-031