October 17, 2002

Missouri River Operating Plan for 2002-2003 released by Corps

he 2002-2003 Draft Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System is available for review and comment. 
The following excerpts and comments were extracted from the original Corps of Engineers documents which can be viewed in their original entirety by clicking HERE or by calling the Water Management office at (402) 697-2675. 

Due to low system storage in the upper dam reservoirs, it was projected that the optimum Gavins Point release level be 9,000 cfs (cubic foot per second). This projection is much too low based on operational experience with winter ice. Therefore Gavins Point winter releases will be set to 13,000 cfs for Winter 2002-2003 based on experience. Winter releases are not anticipated to exceed 13,000 cfs as a water conservation measure. It may become necessary

For the winter period from the close of the 2002 navigation season on December 1, 2002 until the opening of the 2003 navigation season on April 1, 2003, operations are expected to be as follows:

Fort Peck Dam
Fort Peck releases are expected to average 10,000 cfs in December, 10,500 cfs in January and 10,000 cfs in February. January and February releases will be about 2,000 cfs below the nesting sites. These flows should provide adequate river levels for annual trout spawning below the dam. Raising the lake level in the April to May sport fish spawning season will be dependent upon reservoir spring runoff inflow.

Garrison Dam
Garrison releases will be adjusted to serve winter power loads and balance System storage. Releases will follow a more typical pattern than last year's record low 13,000 cfs winter release. Releases will be adjusted periodically after the normal freeze-in in December to maintain the target 13-foot stage at the Bismark, SD gage. Garrison releases will average 19,000 to 20,000 cfs at the beginning of the winter period and gradually increase to 23,000 cfs in January and 24,000 cfs in February. This will be 1,000 to 1,500 cfs less than normal. Lake Sakakawea is expected to be about 6 foot lower (down to elevation 1821,7 feet) by March 1. This will be 15.8 feet below the base of the annual flood control storage zone. It is expected the lake will rise 1.2 feet (to elevation 1822.9 feet) by March 31, which would be 12.8 feet below normal. Releases will be reduced during the turn and plover nesting season under all runoff conditions. Reductions will be in the range of 500-1,000 cfs range for the period.

Oahe Dam
Oahe releases for the winter season will provide backup for the Fort Randall and Gavins Point releases plus fill the recapture space available at Fort Randall consistent with anticipated winter power loads. Monthly releases will fluctuate with power load demands but are expected to average between 15,000 and 16,000 cfs. Peak hourly releases, as well as daily energy generation. will be constrained to prevent urban flooding in the Pierre and Fort Pierre SD areas if severe ice problems develop downstream at Oahe Dam. At the end of the 2002 navigation season on December 1, Lake Oahe is expected to gradually rise 4.9 feet (from elevation 1586.3 feet) to elevation 1591.2 feet by March 31. Thereafter the lake level will gradually rise 1.6 feet (elevation 1593.8 feet msl) by the end of March, 12.8 feet below normal.

Lake Sharpe
Lake Sharpe at Big Bend, SD, will be maintained in the normal 1420.0 to 1421.0 feet msl range durint the winter.

Fort Randall Dam
Fort Randall releases will average 11,000cfs. lake Francis Case is expected to rise 12.5 feet from a low of about 1337.5 feet msl at the end of the 2002 navigation season to near elevation 1350.0, the seasonal base of flood control, by March 1. However, if there is low plains snow pack flood potential downstream of Oahe at the time, the level of Lake Francis Case will be increased 3 feet to near elevation of 1353.0 by March 1. If runoff conditions permit, the lake level will be increased an additional 2.2 feet to near elevation of 1355.2 by the end of the winter period on March 31.

Gavins Point Dam
Gavins Point releases will be gradually reduced beginning the last week of November to a winter level of about 13,000 cfs. These releases should be adequate to maintain water levels necessary during freeze-in for downstream water intakes; however adjustments to the releases may be required if significant reduction of flows occurs downstream during ice blockages. Lewis and Clark lake will be near elevation 1207.5 feet msl until late February when it will be lowered 1.5 feet down to near elevation 1206.0 feet msl for controlling spring floods, primarily from the Niobrara River and Ponca Creek along the Fort Randall to Gavins Point reach. 

Main stem dam System storage for all five runoff conditions will be substantially below the base of the annual flood control zone by March 1, 2003, the beginning of next year's runoff season.

It is expected that there will be no Record of Decision (ROD) signed for the Master Manual revision by next spring, the 2002-2003 Annual Operating Plan (AOP) will follow the current guidelines of the Current Water Control Plan (CWCP) presented in the Master Manual. 

So...the song will remain the same as last year. Management of the river next year will follow the flow control guidelines recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Service as outlined in their November 2000 Biological Opinion. If the drought continues, water releases will be "adjusted" from April 1, the beginning of river navigation season, through the Tern and Plover bird nesting season. Minimum flows will likely result in sufficient habitat, for nesting, along the river banks to satisfy the endangered bird's reproduction goals as recommended in the USF&W's Biological Opinion. 

Lower than normal reservoir pool levels, together with any spring rain tributary runoff, will provide enough nesting habitat for piping plovers on lake shorelines. These low summer flows will continue to be a subject of ongoing consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Under the Water Control Plan (CWCP) the Corps will not implement a "spring rise" from Gavins Point Dam in 2003. The November 2000 Biological Opinion did not recommend implementation of a spring rise from the System during drought conditions. Potential inplementation of a spring rise will continue to be a subject of the ongoing consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service.

In addition to water management, other activities are also being undertaken by the Corps to assist in the survival of the endangered species on the Missouri River. Habitat creation for terns, plovers and pallid sturgeon, pallid sturgeon hatchery propagation and a variety of studies are examples of some of these activities.