Releases from Fort Peck dam will be increased from 9,000 cubic feet per second to as much as 11,000 cfs to address conditions immediately downstream of the dam.

Releases will begin increasing on Aug. 14, or once planned maintenance projects at the Fort Peck power house are completed.

Releases were reduced to allow planned maintenance and scheduled to remain at 9,000 cfs through August. However, the lower releases were impacting irrigation intakes.

“We will increase the flows to provide some relief without negatively impacting the other authorized purposes,” said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Water Management Division.

The increased releases from Fort Peck dam will not have an effect on system storage or releases from downstream projects, nor will system releases from Gavins Point dam be changed.

The stored runoff from 2020 will be evacuated from the system before the start of the 2021 runoff season.

“We spoke with those who were impacted by the lower releases from Fort Peck dam. They understand that increased releases are not a long-term solution and their systems and facilities will need adjustments to operate with lower releases,” said Remus.