The Army Corps of Engineers is reducing water releases from the Gavins Point Dam to minimum winter levels as part of the Missouri River reservoir system’s water conservation measures.

“In mid-November Gavins Point releases were set at 30,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to meet the navigation flow targets on the Missouri River. After the navigation season ended, releases were stepped down to 14,000 cfs on Dec. 3,” said Jody Farhat, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.

“Releases from Gavins Point will be gradually reduced to a minimum of 12,000 cfs this winter to conserve water in the reservoir system, as outlined in the Master Manual.”

Gradual reductions from 14,000 cfs to 12,000 cfs will be made in coordination with the intake operators downstream from Gavins Point to the mouth to ensure water supply is served to the extent reasonably possible. Temporary increases above 12,000 cfs may be necessary to keep water intakes along the lower river operational particularly during periods of ice formation.

Runoff into the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, was 88 percent of normal during November. “After a wet October in the upper basin, with runoff more than twice normal, November’s runoff returned to more normal levels,” said Farhat. The forecast for annual runoff is near normal at 25.1 million acre feet (MAF),” said Farhat. Normal annual runoff is 25.2 MAF.