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News Releases

Weekly calls designed to keep public updated on status of Fort Peck test flows

Missouri River Basin Water Management

Published April 23, 2024

A map showing the Upper Missouri River Basin with pins denoting the locations of each Missouri River Mainstem Dam operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division. Text on the image provides a schedule for weekly calls to be held through the duration of the test flows.
Calls will be held cach Wednesday from April 24-July 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM Central Time. Weekly calls will be held through the duration of the Fort Peck Test Flows.
The calls will provide a report on: current releases, the previous week’s release rates, and operations for the
next week through the course of the test. The website for accessing the calls is https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=ma8b176ff7ce553ae5f1f645f3a8629a4

The link only works during an active call. For recordings of the call, users can visit www.nwd.usace.army.mil/MRWM/MRWM-News/

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Updates on the Fort Peck Test Flow will be held each Wednesday from April 24-July 17, 2024 at 1 p.m. Central Time. Weekly calls will be held through the duration of the Fort Peck Test Flows. Calls will report on: Current releases, Previous week’s release rates, and Operations for the next week through the course of the test. Calls can be accessed at: https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=ma8b176ff7ce553ae5f1f645f3a8629a4 Please note the link only works during active calls.

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OMAHA, Neb. --

Beginning Weds., April 24, the Missouri River Water Management Division will host weekly virtual meetings to provide updates on the status of test flows from Fort Peck Dam in Montana. Test flows to comply with the 2018 Biological Opinion will begin Fri., April 26.

The 2018 Biological Opinion requires the test under the Endangered Species Act for operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host weekly virtual meetings during the flow test to update the public on test progress and planned operations.

Calls will be held each Wednesday, at 1 p.m. Central Time, (12 p.m. Mountain Time)

Information on accessing the public meetings can be found at https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/MRWM/Public-Meetings/Meetings or at the end of this News Release.

Calls will include information on flows into the Fort Peck reservoir, recent releases, current releases and forecast releases.

When the test starts, releases from Fort Peck Dam will be adjusted until a peak flow of 18,000 cubic feet per second is achieved at Wolf Point, on or about May 1 and held for approximately three days. This peak flow is intended to attract pallid sturgeon up the Missouri River for spawning.

The Fort Peck releases will be adjusted depending on the runoff and reach conditions downstream of Fort Peck during this period. The test will likely require spillway releases from Fort Peck. The test releases will not affect river stages downstream of Gavins Point Dam.

“This flow test has been extensively coordinated with local stakeholders and was discussed in depth a public meeting held in Poplar, Montana on March 28, 2024,” said John Remus, chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.

Test releases from Fort Peck to assess the potential benefits of alternative management scenarios for the pallid sturgeon includes two higher Fort Peck release periods, in late April and June. River stages and flows will be measured at Wolf Point, Montana.

During the flow test a number of monitoring activities will be conducted to include fish monitoring, lidar and aerial photography, physical surveys, cultural resource surveys, and water quality sampling. Interested parties can also provide information through a web-based application that can be found at https://hydroviz.ca/fort-peck-feedback.

Call details are below:

Join from the meeting link: https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=ma8b176ff7ce553ae5f1f645f3a8629a4

Join by meeting number