Corps warns of lower Missouri streamflows
OMAHA— The ongoing drought will cause lower Missouri River reservoir levels and lower streamflows this year, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Northwestern Division engineer Brig. Gen. William Grisoli said the corps must strike a delicate balance in managing the needs of cities, power plants, shippers and others in a year where below-normal snowpack in the Rock Mountains is projected.
"We will continue to monitor weather and river conditions to assure adequate water supply along the river, while setting releases as low as possible to conserve water in the reservoirs," Grisoli said Wednesday.
The mountain snowpack two weeks ago was at 68 percent of normal above Fort Peck Lake in Montana. It was 72 percent of normal in the section from Fort Peck to Garrison Dam in North Dakota.
In a typical year, 61 percent of the annual snowfall in the mountains has accumulated by early February.
The corps forecasts annual runoff to be 18 million acre-feet this spring, or 71 percent of normal, said Larry Cieslik, chief of the corps' water management office in Omaha. Normal runoff is 25.2 million acre-feet.
"It's likely that dry soil conditions will reduce the runoff this year," Cieslik said.
The corps' system of dams on the Missouri ended January with 35 million acre-feet of water, compared with 38.2 million acre-feet a year ago.
The navigation season for barges, which begins April 1 at the mouth near St. Louis, is expected to be reduced by between 40 and 61 days.
The corps' three largest reservoirs on the river are lower than they were a year ago.
Corps officials have agreed to a request from Missouri River basin governors and tribal chairmen to implement all possible drought conservation measures this year within its master operating plan.
Lake Oahe in South Dakota is expected to end February 26 feet below its normal seasonal level. The reservoir is 2.4 feet lower than last year at this time.
Lake Sakakawea, created by Garrison Dam, will end the month 25 feet below normal. The reservoir is 8.3 feet lower than last year.
Fort Peck Lake will end the month 32 feet below normal. Last year at this time it was 6.8 feet higher.
Northwestern Division engineer Brig. Gen. William Grisoli said the corps must strike a delicate balance in managing the needs of cities, power plants, shippers and others in a year where below-normal snowpack in the Rock Mountains is projected.
"We will continue to monitor weather and river conditions to assure adequate water supply along the river, while setting releases as low as possible to conserve water in the reservoirs," Grisoli said Wednesday.
The mountain snowpack two weeks ago was at 68 percent of normal above Fort Peck Lake in Montana. It was 72 percent of normal in the section from Fort Peck to Garrison Dam in North Dakota.
In a typical year, 61 percent of the annual snowfall in the mountains has accumulated by early February.
The corps forecasts annual runoff to be 18 million acre-feet this spring, or 71 percent of normal, said Larry Cieslik, chief of the corps' water management office in Omaha. Normal runoff is 25.2 million acre-feet.
"It's likely that dry soil conditions will reduce the runoff this year," Cieslik said.
The corps' system of dams on the Missouri ended January with 35 million acre-feet of water, compared with 38.2 million acre-feet a year ago.
The navigation season for barges, which begins April 1 at the mouth near St. Louis, is expected to be reduced by between 40 and 61 days.
The corps' three largest reservoirs on the river are lower than they were a year ago.
Corps officials have agreed to a request from Missouri River basin governors and tribal chairmen to implement all possible drought conservation measures this year within its master operating plan.
Lake Oahe in South Dakota is expected to end February 26 feet below its normal seasonal level. The reservoir is 2.4 feet lower than last year at this time.
Lake Sakakawea, created by Garrison Dam, will end the month 25 feet below normal. The reservoir is 8.3 feet lower than last year.
Fort Peck Lake will end the month 32 feet below normal. Last year at this time it was 6.8 feet higher.
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