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  • ERDC-PT: A Multidimensional Particle Tracking Model

    Abstract: This report describes the technical engine details of the particle- and species-tracking software ERDC-PT. The development of ERDC-PT leveraged a legacy ERDC tracking model, “PT123,” developed by a civil works basic research project titled “Efficient Resolution of Complex Transport Phenomena Using Eulerian-Lagrangian Techniques” and in part by the System-Wide Water Resources Program. Given hydrodynamic velocities, ERDC-PT can track thousands of massless particles on 2D and 3D unstructured or converted structured meshes through distributed processing. At the time of this report, ERDC-PT supports triangular elements in 2D and tetrahedral elements in 3D. First-, second-, and fourth-order Runge-Kutta time integration methods are included in ERDC-PT to solve the ordinary differential equations describing the motion of particles. An element-by-element tracking algorithm is used for efficient particle tracking over the mesh. ERDC-PT tracks particles along the closed and free surface boundaries by velocity projection and stops tracking when a particle encounters the open boundary. In addition to passive particles, ERDC-PT can transport behavioral species, such as oyster larvae. This report is the first report of the series describing the technical details of the tracking engine. It details the governing equation and numerical approaching associated with ERDC-PT Version 1.0 contents.
  • Gavins Point Dam releases reduced to winter release rate on November 23

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began reducing the Gavins Point releases to the winter release rate on November 23 with the navigation flow support season ending on December 1 at St. Louis, MO. “Releases from Gavins Point Dam were reduced from 35,000 cubic feet per second to 13,000 cfs by mid-December,” said John Remus, chief of the USACE, Missouri River Water Management Division. “We will closely monitor river conditions, and releases will be adjusted to the extent practical to lessen the impacts of river ice formation on stages in the lower river.”
  • Gavins Point Dam releases to be reduced to winter release rate

    Gavins Point Dam releases will be reduced in late November as flow support to navigation ends. Releases are currently 32,000 cubic feet per second. “We will continue to make releases from Gavins Point Dam to provide flow support at an intermediate service level, 1,500 cfs less than full service, through the end of the navigation flow support season,” said John Remus, chief of the USACE, Missouri River Water Management Division.  “The flow support season will end on Dec. 1 at the mouth of the Missouri River.”
  • Reminder for Missouri River Basin fall public meetings

    This is a reminder that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host its fall public meeting series for the Missouri River Basin November 7-9, 2023. These public meetings are held each spring and fall across the Missouri River Basin and provide an update on current year's runoff and reservoir operations, as well as planned operations for the next year's runoff season.
  • Communities celebrate Cordell Hull Dam’s 50th Anniversary

    ELMWOOD, Tenn. (Oct. 10, 2023) – Local communities, residents and officials celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Cordell Hull Dam Oct. 7 by paying tribute to residents that were displaced, featuring historical aspects of the dam’s construction, and noting the benefits that were realized for future generations when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impounded the lake.
  • A Review of Algal Phytoremediation Potential to Sequester Nutrients from Eutrophic Surface Water

    Abstract: Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and coastal hypoxic zones are evidence of cultural nutrient enrichment affecting public health and water supplies, aquatic ecosystem health, and economic well-being in the United States. Recognition of the far-reaching impacts of Midwest agriculture has led to establishing nutrient reduction objectives for surface waters feeding the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Erie, and many smaller water bodies. Municipal nutrient enrichment impacts have been addressed by increasing levels of sewage treatment and waste management through the Clean Water Act era, but HABs rebounded in the 1990s because of non-point source nutrient enrichment. HAB control and treatment includes watershed and waterbody treatments to reduce loading and address outbreaks. Systems to remove nutrients from impaired waters are expensive to build and operate. This review of algal production systems summarizes emerging algal water treatment technologies and considers their potential to effectively sequester nutrients and atmospheric carbon from hundreds of eutrophic reservoirs and DoD wastewater treatment facilities while producing useful biomass feedstock using solar energy. Algal water treatment systems including open ponds, photobioreactors, and algal turf scrubbers® can be used to grow biomass for biofuel, wastewater treatment, and commercial products. This review recommends continuing research on surface water nutrient reduction potential with algal turf scrubber productivity pilot studies, preliminary site design, and biomass utilization investigations.
  • September runoff near average; Drought conditions continue in Missouri River Basin

    The month of September brought mixed results for precipitation across the Missouri River Basin. Portions of Montana, North and South Dakota, and Nebraska received above average rainfall, while the remainder of the upper basin and lower basin were below average. Overall, September runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa was 1.3 million acre-feet, 109% of the long-term average. The annual runoff forecast for the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, IA is 29.1 MAF, 113% of average and the same as last month’s forecast.
  • Now Available: Draft Missouri River Operating Plan; Possible Fort Peck test flow; Fall public meeting schedule

    Ahead of fall public meetings, the Draft Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System Annual Operating Plan for the 2023-2024 runoff season is now available for public comment. The public comment period on the draft plan will close Nov. 30. 
  • Gavins Point winter release slightly above minimum rate

    Rainfall in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, was above normal for the month of August, resulting in above average runoff. However, due to drier-than-normal conditions in previous years, the total storage in the Missouri River mainstem reservoir system remains lower than normal. Based on the Sept. 1 system storage, winter releases from Gavins Point Dam will be 13,000 cubic feet per second, per the criteria in the Master Manual. This release rate is slightly above the minimum rate of 12,000 cfs.
  • Missouri River Basin drought conditions persist

    July runoff in the Missouri River basin above Sioux City, Iowa was 3.3 million acre-feet (MAF), 99% of average. Runoff was near or above average in all reaches except the Fort Peck reach, which was 68% of average. The annual runoff forecast above Sioux City, IA is 28.5 MAF, 111% of average.