RAINFALL IN THE MISSOURI RIVER BASIN ABOVE SIOUX CITY WAS ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, RESULTING IN ABOVE AVERAGE RUNOFF.
AUGUST RUNOFF WAS 1.7 MILLION ACRE-FEET, 121% OF AVERAGE ABOVE SIOUX CITY.
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 SEPTEMBER 1ST SYSTEM STORAGE, WINTER RELEASES FROM GAVINS POINT DAM WILL BE 13,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
THE RELEASE RATE IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE MINIMUM RATE OF 12,000 CFS.
JOHN REMUS, CHIEF OF THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS’ MISSOURI RIVER BASIN WATER MANAGEMENT DIVISION, SAYS “SEVERAL PRECIPITATION EVENTS OCCURRED DURING AUGUST, WITH SOME AREAS RECEIVING 400% OF NORMAL RAINFALL.
DESPITE THAT, DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE, AND ARE PREDICTED TO PERSIST AND EXPAND THROUGHOUT THE BASIN IN THE COMING MONTHS.”
