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RIVER
FLOW CONDITIONS REPORT
for 2001 Season |
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On
February 21, 2001, representatives of ORF.com
were invited to attend the Missouri River Corps, Coast Guard and
Navigators Coordination Meeting in Kansas City, MO. The meeting
was held at the National Weather Service Training Center and was
attended by representatives from the Corps of Engineers, Coast
Guard, Barge Transportation Companies, and other users of the
Missouri River.
Several areas of interest were
discussed during this meeting including the proposed
split-navigational season and the revision of the Missouri River
Master Manual. No final decision has been made on this proposal
as of yet but the subject matter continues to be very
controversial.
Another matter of interest to many
people is the water level releases on the river for this season.
Because of the minimum amount of snow in the mountains needed
for run-off, the water level is expected to be around 85% of
normal. This is only a forecast. Current water-level conditions
can be found by following the US Corps of Engineers links on our
home page under MISSOURI RIVER - RESOURCES
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The
following information was released April 5, 2001
by
the
US
Army Corps of Engineers
Northwestern
Division |
OMAHA -- Despite a slight increase in the amount of snow in
the mountains and the melting of the remainder of the snow on
the plains, prospects for further reductions of Missouri River
flows loom large.
Fifty-two million acre feet (MAF) is the magic number. If
storage in the big lakes on July 1 is more than 52 MAF, then
operations will continue to follow the specific technical
criteria published in the Master Water Control Manual. This
would most likely not result in a shortening of the 2001
navigation season. If storage is less than 52 MAF on July 1,
releases for navigation will be reduced to minimum service
levels. The season length will be shortened 14-25 days,
depending on the actual storage.
These conservation measures are necessary to offset increased
release requirements last year for water supply, endangered
species and navigation. In total, 800,000 acre-feet of
additional was released compared to what would been released by
following the specific technical criteria in the Master Manual.
The planned conservation measures will offset the higher 2000
releases.
Increased releases for water supply were necessary due to
degradation of the channel bed. As the river bottom has eroded,
more flow is necessary to municipal and industrial water. Higher
releases were also necessary to serve navigation while meeting
the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. Legal action by
the State of Kansas prevented the use of water from the Kansas
River reservoirs to support Missouri River navigation. The
additional water came from the main stem reservoirs.
"Runoff in March was 3.9 (MAF), 132 percent of normal. Warm
temperatures brought snowmelt into the James, Vermillion, and
Big Sioux rivers allowing us to reduce Gavins Point releases and
still meet navigation targets. Releases were reduced to 8,000
cfs on April 3," said Larry Cieslik, Chief of the Missouri
River Basin Water Management Division in Omaha.
"We are still concerned about the lack of accumulation of
mountain snow. As of April 2, the snowpack is only 62 percent of
normal in the reach above Fort Peck and 61 percent in the reach
from Fort Peck to Garrison," said Cieslik. Normally,
mountain snowpack peaks near mid-April.
"We are forecasting that runoff will be 19.5 MAF,"
said Cieslik. Normal runoff is 25.2 MAF.
System storage ended March at 51.9 MAF. Last year at this time
it was 57.4 MAF. The amount of water in the reservoirs is nearly
6 MAF less than normal.
Releases from Gavins
Point Dam averaged 15,300 cfs in March, compared to an
average of 21,200 cfs. They varied from 12,000 cfs to 19,000 cfs
during March as support for the navigation season began. Lewis
and Clark Lake will remain near elevation 1206 feet above mean
sea level (msl) during April.
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Gavins Point Dam - Lewis
and Clark Lake, South Dakota
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Fort
Randall Dam / Lake Francis Case - Releases averaged 11,100
cfs in February. They will range from 4,000 to 20,000 cfs in
April as needed to maintain Lewis and Clark near its desired
elevation. Lake Francis Case climbed seven feet during March. It
will remain near elevation 1358 feet msl during April.
Fort
Randall Dam Camping Guide
Oahe
Dam / Lake Oahe ended the month at
elevation 1601.9 feet msl. The lake will continue to rise during
April, ending the month near 1603 feet msl.
Lake
Oahe Camping Guide
Garrison
Dam / Lake Sakakawea - Releases averaged 12,900 cfs during
March, gradually decreasing from 15,000 cfs to 12,000 cfs. They
will remain at that rate during the April. Lake Sakakawea ended
March at 1830.4 feet msl and will rise about one foot during the
month.
Garrison
Dam Camping Guide
Fort
Peck Dam / Fort Peck Lake - Releases averaged 4,700 cfs
during March, gradually decreasing from 6,000 cfs to 4,000 cfs.
They will remain at that rate during April. The lake ended March
at elevation 2222.7 feet msl. It will rise approximately one
foot during April.
Fort
Peck Dam Camping Guide
The six main stem powerplants generated 433 million kilowatt
hours (kWh) of electricity in March, 62 percent of normal. Given
the forecasted inflow this year, energy production should be 7.7
billion kWh compared to a normal of 10.2 billion kWh.
Daily and forecasted reservoir and river information is
available from the Missouri River Basin Water Management
Division by calling the recorded voice/fax message at (402)
697-2678.
It is also available on the water management section of the
Northwestern Division homepage at www.nwd.usace.army.mil. |
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