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Tag: flood control
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  • Gavins Point releases increased after System storage check

    Above average rainfall and fast-melting snow led to above average runoff in the upper Missouri River Basin in June. Runoff above Sioux City, Iowa was 6.7 million acre-feet, which is 122% of average. The annual runoff forecast above Sioux City, Iowa is 29.2 MAF, 114% of average, and about 2.4 MAF higher than last month’s forecast.
  • Rapid mountain snowmelt; above-average May runoff

    Warm temperatures in the mountainous region of the upper Missouri River Basin has led to a quick melt of the mountain snowpack. The rapid melting combined with precipitation in the western half of the Basin resulted in above-average inflow into the reservoir system. May runoff for the Basin above Sioux City, IA was 4.9 million acre-feet, 144% of average.
  • Analysis of Paxton Siphon Frazil Ice Blockage Event during January 2022

    Abstract: In early January 2022, the Paxton Siphon, owned and operated by the Nebraska Public Power District, filled with frazil ice creating a blockage that resulted in a rapid upstream stage rise for the Sutherland Canal. An event of this type has never happened in the over 80 years of operating the Paxton Siphon. An analysis of the available weather and canal data suggests a rapid air temperature change resulted in the water becoming supercooled, which combined with the moderately low flows in the canal resulted in an anomalous frazil ice formation event. To address this issue for future cold weather events, a water temperature model was developed using the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System and can be used to determine the spatial extents of the supercooling event using forecasted weather information. In addition, we developed a heat-exchange forecast tool that can be used operationally to screen for potential frazil ice formation periods with a 1-week outlook period.
  • 23-031 Corps to begin refilling Bennington Lake for upcoming recreation season

    WALLA WALLA, Wash. – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Walla Walla District will begin diverting water from Mill Creek to Bennington Lake today, May 10, in preparation for the upcoming recreation season.
  • Fort Peck releases to decline during maintenance

    Releases from Fort Peck Dam will be reduced from 9,000 cubic feet per second to 6,000 cfs on May 22. Releases will be increased back to 9,000 cfs on June 2. If the maintenance work is completed early, releases will return to 9,000 cfs as soon as possible.
  • Spring precipitation improves Missouri River Basin runoff forecast

    Late season plains snowpack accumulation and subsequent melting led to increased runoff throughout the upper Missouri River Basin during April. For the month, runoff was 4.7 million acre-feet, 159% of average, for the basin above Sioux City, IA. The annual runoff forecast for the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, IA is 26.9 MAF, 105% of average, and 0.5 MAF higher than last month’s forecast. However, soil moisture remains slightly below normal in eastern Montana and the western Dakotas, and well below normal in Nebraska. Even with the plains snowmelt, soils dried out in late April over a large portion of the upper basin.
  • Corps closes Mississippi River lock and dam due to high water levels

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, closed Lock and Dam 4, near Alma, Wisconsin, April 17, to all commercial and recreational traffic due to high Mississippi River water levels.
  • Missouri River Spring Virtual Public Meeting - Make Up - April 20

    A virtual make up meeting has been scheduled for April 20 at 1 p.m. after two in-person meetings were canceled due to weather on April 4. The virtual meeting can be accessed at the QR code and the url in the graphic.
  • Upper basin runoff forecast improves with spring precipitation

    The latest 2023 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa is showing improvement. The 2023 calendar year runoff forecast above Sioux City is 26.4 million acre-feet (MAF), 103% of average. The runoff forecast is based on current soil moisture conditions, plains snowpack, mountain snowpack, and long-term precipitation and temperature outlooks. March runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 1.7 MAF, 57% of average.    
  • 23-023 Boise River flows likely to increase the first week of April

    BOISE, Idaho -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation will increase Boise River flows through the City of Boise as early as April 3.