News Releases

Yes, the outlet tunnels at Oahe are releasing water

Missouri River Water Management
Published Sept. 16, 2024
Oahe Dam and Reservoir on the Missouri River are located near Pierre, South Dakota.

Oahe Dam and Reservoir on the Missouri River are located near Pierre, South Dakota. Lake Oahe has played a pivotal role during the 2018 runoff season allowing releases to be reduced from reservoirs downstream following heavy rain events and capturing flood waters from upstream mountain snowmelt and heavy rainfall in the Yellowstone River basin, which fell in May and June.

A combination of planned maintenance and an unscheduled turbine outage at Oahe will result in outlet tunnel operations beginning today.

Starting at 10 a.m. today, Sept. 16, the outlet tunnels at Oahe will be releasing 8,000 cubic feet per second of the daily average 29,000 cfs releases.

“With two turbines already down for maintenance, the scheduled releases are more than we can run through the powerhouse. By operating the outlet tunnels, we can continue to make our scheduled releases,” said John Remus, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Water Management Division.

With three of the seven turbines offline and a scheduled release of 27,000 cfs, the project is redirecting releases that would normally come from the powerhouse to the outlet tunnels.

An unscheduled outage has required additional maintenance and another turbine to be taken offline.

Once the maintenance is complete and the turbines are brought back online, the outlet tunnels will be closed.


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

Release no. 24-026