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  • Below average runoff forecast for the upper Missouri River Basin in 2022

    The updated 2022 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, continues to be below average.  “Despite January’s runoff being slightly above average, we expect 2022 runoff to remain below average,” said John Remus, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’, Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “Both plains snowpack and mountain snowpack continue to lag behind seasonal averages, and soil moisture continues to be much drier-than-normal.”

  • Gavins Point Dam releases reduced to winter release rate

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began reducing the Gavins Point releases to the winter release rate on Nov. 23, marking the end of flow support for the 2021 Missouri River navigation season. “Releases from Gavins Point Dam are being reduced to the winter release of 12,000 cubic feet per second,” said John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “Releases from Gavins Point are currently 13,000 cfs and we will slowly reduce releases to 12,000 by December 8. We will closely monitor river conditions, and releases will be adjusted this winter as needed to lessen the impacts of river ice formation on stages in the lower river.”

  • Gavins Point Dam releases to be reduced in late November

    “We will continue to make releases from Gavins Point Dam to provide flow support at an intermediate service level, 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) less than full service, through the end of the navigation flow support season,” said John Remus, chief of the USACE, Missouri River Water Management Division.

  • Northwestern Division transfers command; Accomplished scholar-soldier takes over largest USACE division

    Brig. Gen. Peter Helmlinger transferred command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division to Col. Geoff Van Epps today in a ceremony at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Van Epps comes to the Northwestern Division from the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C., where he served as director of the Pentagon office of the Chief of Engineers, Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon. “I’m very pleased to be included in the story of this unit along with all its stellar employees, past and present,” said Van Epps. “Together, we’ll continue to develop our people, collaborate with our partners, and deliver the program for our country and corps.”

  • USACE implements drought conservation measures

    Water conservation measures were enacted for the second half of the navigation flow support season based on the July 1 Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System storage, per the guidelines outlined in the Master Manual. Very dry conditions continue to impact the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, IA (upper Basin) despite recent heavy rainfall in the lower Basin. As a result of the low precipitation and widespread drought conditions, June runoff in the upper Basin was 52% of average. The updated 2021 upper Basin runoff forecast is 15.6 million acre-feet (MAF), 60% of average. If realized, this runoff amount would be the 10th driest year in the upper Basin since 1898. System storage on July 1 was 55.2 MAF, 0.9 MAF below the base of the Annual Flood Control and Multiple Use Zone. System storage is expected to decline further into the Carryover Multiple Use Zone during the remainder of 2021.

  • Missouri River navigation support; full-length season, reduced service levels

    The Missouri River Water Management Division will reduce navigation flow support beginning today for the second half of the navigation flow support season.  “We continue to monitor conditions throughout the basin and make adjustments as necessary. We will provide a full update for key stakeholders and the media on our regular July 8 call,” said John Remus, chief of the Missouri River Water Management Division. 

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