By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A drought in the Upper Missouri River Basin has reduced flows into the Missouri River downstream.
Missouri River Basin Water Management Chief John Remus with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cautions water users along the Missouri River to prepare for lower river and reservoirs levels.
“The Corps of Engineers understands the importance of the Missouri River in providing water for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses throughout the basin,” Remus tells a conference call. “There will be adequate water in the reservoirs and in the river reaches to serve all the water supply needs.”
Remus says the Corps usually adds water to the storage in the upper Missouri River reservoirs during March and April.
“We haven’t added water since the 23rd of March,” Remus says. “What we’re doing is we’re releasing water and it is not being refilled by the runoff.”
Kevin Grode, an engineer with the Corps says soil conditions upstream along the Missouri, such as in North Dakota and Montana, are extremely dry, with April providing little to no relief.
“April’s runoff was 1.3 million acre feet, which was less than 50% average,” Grode reports. “It was the 8th lowest April in 123 years of record keeping.”
Grode estimates the runoff into the Missouri River upstream reservoirs will be below average this summer.
“During May, June, and July, the upper basin forecast, the upper basin runoff is forecast to be below average due to the slightly below normal mountain snowpack, dry soil moisture conditions, and extended warm and dry climate outlook,” according to Grode.
The Corps has been maintaining a release rate from Gavins Point Dam of 28,700 cubic feet per second. It plans to increase that rate to 29,500 to maintain Missouri River levels adequate for water supply and navigation.