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Tag: flood control
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  • System storage declining, Gavins Point Dam's winter releases will be minimum rate

    August runoff was 1.5 million acre-feet, 109% of average above Sioux City with most of the runoff entering the System below Garrison Dam. September runoff in the upper Basin is forecast to be well below average, especially in the Fort Peck and Garrison reaches. The updated 2025 calendar year forecast for the upper Basin is 19.1 MAF, 74% of average. Average annual runoff for the upper Basin is 25.7 MAF.
  • Hydrodynamics in the Morganza Floodway and Atchafalaya Basin, Report 5: Phase 5

    Abstract: The Morganza Floodway and Atchafalaya Basin, located in Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, were evaluated using a 2D Adaptive Hydraulics model. Prior to this study, Phase 1 and 2 model studies showed that the Morganza Floodway may not be able to pass the Project Design Flood discharge of 600,000 cubic feet per second due to levee overtopping. Phase 3 and 4 model studies help to further the understanding of how flood waters propagate throughout the floodway as well examined alternatives to increase the discharge capacity of the floodway. Phase 5 furthered the work completed in Phases 3 and 4 by exploring more alternatives to aid the Morganza Floodway in passing the Project Design Flood.
  • Hydrodynamics in the Morganza Floodway and Atchafalaya Basin, Report 4: Phase 4

    Abstract: The Morganza Floodway and Atchafalaya Basin, located in Louisiana, west of the Mississippi River, were evaluated using a two-dimensional Adaptive Hydraulics model. Prior to this study, Phase 1 and 2 model studies showed that the Morganza Floodway may not be able to pass the Project Design Flood discharge of 600,000 cfs due to levee overtopping. A Phase 3 model study helped to further the understanding of the effects of trees and vegetation on the flow capacity of the floodway. In Phase 4 of this study, changes in elevations through means of excavation as well as the cutting of rights-of-way (ROW) were examined to determine their effects on flow conveyance in the floodway.
  • Below normal runoff continues in the Upper Missouri Basin

    July runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa was 2.0 million acre-feet (MAF), 62% of average. Runoff was below-average in the Fort Peck and Garrison reaches with average to above-average runoff in the lower four reaches. The annual runoff forecast above Sioux City, Iowa is 19.2 MAF, 75% of average.
  • Engineering Practice Guide for Floodplain Benching: A Natural Infrastructure Approach for Riverine Systems

    Abstract: Floodplain benches are a potential solution for inland river systems where out-of-bank flooding generates unacceptable flood risk and access to riverine floodplains has become restricted over time. Benches are a naturally forming geomorphic feature between the riverbed and a higher floodplain or terrace. In addition to reducing flood risk, benches reduce erosion risk, improve aquatic ecosystems, enhance plant and wildlife diversity, expand recreational opportunities, and may be places of cultural and tribal value. This document informs engineering activities related to site investigation and design of floodplain benches. It is intended to be used by engineers and ecologists to inform the design of floodplain benches in a manner that is consistent with and augments other planning, design, and engineering guidance. A well-designed floodplain bench can improve ecological and biological functions while also reducing flood risk by creating a channel in geomorphic equilibrium with current conditions and resilience to anticipated changes in hydrology and sediment supply rates. This publication is among a series of planned technical reports providing guidance on how to identify, conceptualize, and design natural infrastructure solutions for riverine and coastal systems. It has been produced by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineering With Nature® Program.
  • Why Table Rock Lake Empties First

    If you’ve ever spent time around Table Rock Lake when the lake level is high after repeated heavy rainfall events, you may have noticed something curious. The water levels here start dropping before you see any change at nearby Beaver Lake or even the massive Bull Shoals Lake downstream.
  • June runoff much below average; Navigation flow support decreased slightly after System storage check

    June runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa was 3.3 million acre-feet, 60% of average. The updated 2025 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, continues to be below average.
  • Incorporating Natural and Nature-Based Features in an Urban California Creek Through Application of Engineering With Nature® Principles

    Purpose: Since its launch in 2021, the Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) program has funded research focused in a variety of environments, particularly along marine and freshwater coasts and fluvial (riverine) systems. Until recently, there has been less focus on applying EWN principles in urban landscapes and watersheds to help manage flood risk, a main civil works mission of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Natural hazard challenges, including intense rainfall events, are contributing to flooding and prompting the need for more sustainable infrastructure to reduce flood risks in urban areas. This is especially relevant when such nature-based solutions (NBS) are desired by stakeholders who stand to benefit from the project. This technical note documents a USACE Chicago District (LRC) project that supports USACE Los Angeles District (SPL) to incorporate EWN principles in an urban ephemeral creek to reduce flood risk while providing other environmental, social, and economic benefits.
  • May runoff average; Missouri River upper basin runoff forecast below normal

    The updated 2025 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, continues to be below average. May runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 3.4 million acre-feet, 100% of average.
  • Development and Testing of the FRAME Tool on a 200-Mile Reach of the Lower Mississippi River

    Abstract: Understanding the likely long-term evolution of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) is a challenging mission for the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) that remains difficult for conventional river engineering models. A new type of model is currently in development, tasked with revealing uncertainty-bounded trends in sediment transport and channel morphology over annual, decadal, and centennial timescales. The Future River Analysis and Management Evaluation (FRAME) tool is being designed with river managers and planners in mind to provide exploratory insights into plausible river futures and their potential impacts. A unique attribute of the tool is its hybrid interfacing of traditional one-dimensional hydraulic and sediment transport modeling with geomorphic rules for characterizing the morphological response. This report documents the development of a FRAME test-bed model for a 200-mile reach of the Mississippi River upstream of Vicksburg, Mississippi. This testbed allowed development and testing of the prototype FRAME tool in a data-rich environment. This work identified proposed future developments to provide river managers and planners with a fully functional tool for delivering insights on long-term morphological response in river channels across a variety of spatial and temporal scales.