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Category: Water Management - Missouri River
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  • Missouri River Mainstem projects will maintain higher than average releases

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Missouri River Basin Water Management Division plans to maintain higher-than-average releases from all System projects, including Gavins Point, over the next several months. Due to higher-than-average runoff being forecast in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, we have increased the service level 15,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) above full service to facilitate the evacuation of stored flood waters. The increased service level means that Gavins Point releases may be increased to 42,000 cfs, and possibly higher, as downstream tributary flows recede.

  • Missouri River public meetings scheduled for April 17-19 throughout basin

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Missouri River Basin Water Management Division will be conducting five public meetings throughout the basin April 17-19. The purpose of these meetings is to update the region on current hydrologic conditions and the planned operation of the mainstem reservoir system during the coming months. The 2018 runoff forecast in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, is 30.2 million acre feet (MAF), 119 percent of average according to the Corps. “The updated forecast increased slightly from last month due to the continued accumulation of mountain and plains snowpack in the upper basin,” said John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “Based on the current plains and mountain snowpack and precipitation outlooks, runoff into the Fort Peck and Garrison reservoirs is expected to be above average from March through August,” said Remus. For comparison, the 2017 runoff was 29.6 MAF, 117 percent of average.

  • 2018 runoff forecast above average; Public meetings to be held April 17-19

    The 2018 runoff forecast in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, is 29.0 million acre feet (MAF), 115 percent of normal according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Missouri River Water Management Division. “The updated forecast increased from last month due to the continued accumulation of mountain and plains snowpack in the upper basin,” said John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “Based on the current plains and mountain snowpack, runoff into the Fort Peck and Garrison reservoirs is expected to be above average from March through July,” said Remus.

  • Reservoir system prepared for 2018 runoff season

    All 2017 stored flood waters were evacuated from the Missouri River mainstem reservoir system as of January 15, when the total volume stored in the System reached 56.1 million acre-feet, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Water Management Division. “The System stands ready to capture spring runoff, reducing flood risk while providing support to other authorized project purposes,” said John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.

  • Preparing system for upcoming runoff season; Near normal runoff forecast for 2018

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to prepare the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System (System) for the upcoming runoff season. Current Gavins Point Dam releases are 21,500 cubic feet per second (cfs). Gavins Point Dam winter releases normally range between 12,000 and 17,000 cfs. The total volume of water stored in the System is currently 56.3 million acre-feet (MAF), occupying 0.2 MAF of the 16.3 MAF combined flood control storage zones. Based on current soil moisture conditions, plains and mountain snowpack, the 2018 calendar year runoff forecast is 26.6 MAF above Sioux City, IA, 105 percent of average. Average annual runoff is 25.3 MAF.

  • Releases from Gavins Point Dam reduced to winter rate

    Gavins Point Dam releases began the reduction to the winter release rate of 21,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) on December 4. “Based on the September 1 system storage, Gavins Point Dam winter releases will be at least 17,000 cfs. However, higher-than-normal runoff during the late summer and fall will allow us to provide a slightly higher release during the winter months. Higher winter releases will provide additional hydropower generation during the winter, which is one of the peak power demand periods. It will also benefit municipal and industrial water intakes below Gavins Point Dam, which can be impacted by low water levels during periods of ice formation,” said John Remus, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. Gavins Point Dam winter releases normally range between 12,000 and 17,000 cfs.

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