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Archive: March, 2019
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  • Corps communicating with officials; making system adjustments as plains snowmelt continues

    Today, Brig. Gen Peter Helmlinger, commander of the Northwestern Division addressed participants on a regularly held call that provides updates to Congressional, State, Tribal, local officials and the media. The mountain snowpack, which usually peaks around April 15, is still accumulating but at a rate that is considered average. A considerable amount of plains snowmelt is entering Missouri River Mainstem reservoirs in North Dakota and South Dakota. The inflows are primarily in the reservoirs at Oahe Dam and Fort Randall Dam. System releases are being adjusted as a result.

  • Plains snowmelt reaching mainstem reservoirs

    Corps water managers are closely monitoring plains snowmelt runoff in South Dakota and North Dakota and adjusting releases at the mainstem projects to balance inflows, rising reservoir levels, and downstream conditions. The mountain snowpack, which usually peaks around April 15, remains average. By April 1, 97 percent of the snowpack accumulation has normally occurred.

  • Gavins Point releases set for 27,000 cfs Monday, Upper basin snow melt beginning

    Releases from Gavins Point Dam will be increased to 27,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) Monday, March 25. The pool elevation declined .3 feet in the past 24 hours. The mountain snowpack remains average and plains snow melt in the upper basin is beginning.

  • Gavins Point releases will not reach 20,000 cfs, Fort Randall releases to resume Saturday

    Gavins Point Dam releases have been maintained at 24,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) since Wednesday, March 20. The new forecast is to increase releases from Gavins Point Dam to 32,000 cfs once the crest on the Big Sioux River reaches Sioux City. Releases from Fort Randall Dam will begin on Saturday, March 23 at a release rate of 4,000 cfs. On Sunday, releases will be increased to 12,000 cfs. Travel time from Fort Randall Dam to Gavins Point Dam is about 1.5 days.

  • Gavins Point releases still at 24,000 cfs, Fort Randall releases at zero until Saturday

    Gavins Point Dam releases were reduced from 28,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 24,000 cfs on Wednesday, March 20. “Releases were scheduled to be reduced to 20,000 cfs by this morning but Gavins Point inflows, primarily from the Niobrara River, continue to match releases. Our office will continue monitoring runoff conditions throughout the Missouri River basin,” said John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Water Management Division.

  • Gavins Point releases to reach 20,000 cfs by Thursday, Fort Randall releases at zero until Friday

    Gavins Point Dam releases were reduced from 28,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 24,000 cfs this morning. Releases are scheduled to be reduced to 20,000 cfs by tomorrow morning. The Corps plans to maintain Gavins Point releases at 20,000 cfs as long as system conditions allow. Releases from Fort Randall Dam are scheduled to be increased from 0 cfs to 4,000 cfs on Friday. Travel time from Fort Randall Dam to Gavins Point Dam is about 1.5 days.

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