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.