News Releases

24 May 2019

Missouri River Water Managers communicate runoff concerns to basin leaders

"The ground is very wet, and weather patterns have been very active, just about any significant rainfall in north central Nebraska, and central and or western South Dakota will likely require an increase in releases from Gavins Point Dam in order to manage pools levels at Oahe and Fort Randall dams," said John Remus, Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division, Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.

22 May 2019

Releases from Gavins Point Dam stepping up on Thursday to 60,000 cfs to address recent rain

Releases from Gavins Point Dam are forecast to increase to 60,000 cfs beginning Thursday, May 23. The decision comes after precipitation totaling between 2 to 5 inches, fell over central Nebraska and much of South Dakota over the last 2 to 5 days. Because of the rain, inflows into Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavins Point Dams have been increasing and causing pool levels to rise. The forecast rise at Oahe Dam and Fort Randall Dam includes storing runoff in their exclusive flood control zones. Higher releases from Gavins Point Dam will allow more water to pass through the system and slow the rise in the pool levels at these project.

6 May 2019

Near-record April runoff leads to continued above-average Gavins Point releases

Much above average runoff continues in the upper Missouri River basin. April runoff in the upper basin, the Missouri River above Sioux City, Iowa, was 7.8 million acre feet (MAF), the third highest April runoff in the 121 years of record. The average April runoff is 2.9 MAF. Runoff in the Gavins Point Dam to Sioux City reach was 2.3 MAF, the second highest April runoff for this reach. The total March-April runoff for the upper basin was 18.7 MAF, which is the highest March-April runoff since record-keeping began in 1898, exceeding the previous record of 15.9 MAF, which occurred in 1952.

24 Apr 2019

3-week forecast for Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System updated

Today’s three-week forecast for the Missouri River Mainstem System of dams shows that all system reservoirs are below their exclusive flood control pool elevations.

17 Apr 2019

Missouri River Water Management spring public meeting videos now available

The video of the spring public meeting held in Sioux City, Iowa on April 10, 2019. There are three separate videos. The first is the opening and a presentation from the National Weather Service, the second is Kevin Grode who talks about the system and its operations, as well as the March storm, and finally is Mike Swenson who talks about the 2019 runoff forecasts and how each of the authorized purposes will be served for 2019.

12 Apr 2019

Pierre, South Dakota spring public meeting rescheduled for April 15

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division has rescheduled the spring public meeting in Pierre, South Dakota for Monday, April 15.