US Army Corps of Engineers ®

News Release

Release Number:	06-008
Dated:	4/10/2006
Contact:	Paul T Johnston, 402-697-2552

OMAHA – While the mountain snowpack remains near normal levels, dry conditions persist over much of the Missouri River basin, with anticipated runoff at only 77 percent of normal.

“We are pleased that the mountain snowpack remains near normal,” said Larry Cieslik, Chief of the Water Management office here. It is 105 percent of normal in the reach above Fort Peck and 92 percent in the reach from Fort Peck to Garrison, essentially the Yellowstone River basin.

The amount of water currently stored in the reservoirs is 19 MAF below normal. Runoff for the year is forecasted to be 19.5 million acre feet (MAF), 77 percent of normal. Normal runoff is 25.2 MAF. System storage at the end of April is forecast to be 36.8 MAF.

The total reservoir storage was not high enough on March 1 for the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the March spring pulse. Another storage check will be taken on May 1 to determine if there is enough water in the reservoirs to conduct the May pulse. It will be implemented if storage is above 36.5 MAF.

Six public meetings to discuss and answer questions about the 2006 Final Annual Operating Plan will be conducted in April. The plan is available on the Northwestern Division website: www.nwd.usace.army.mil. The meetings will be held:

Apr 10 – Omaha, Neb., at 5 p.m. in the Northwestern Division offices, 12565 West Center Road Apr 11 – St. Louis, Mo., at 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Airport, 11228 Lone Eagle Drive Apr 11 – Jefferson City, Mo., at 7 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, 1510 Jefferson St. Apr 12 – Williston, N.D., at 1 p.m. at the El Rancho Motor Hotel, 1623 Second Ave West Apr 12 – Pierre, S.D., at 7 p.m. at the Governor’s Inn, 700 W. Sioux Ave Apr 13 – St. Joseph, Mo., at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 102 South Third Street

These meetings are held each spring to review the anticipated results of the plan given for forecasts for runoff and storage for the reminder of the year. Meetings to describe the draft plan and take comments were held last October in Glasgow, Bismarck, Pierre, Omaha, Kansas City, Jefferson City and St. Louis.

Support for the 2006 navigation season began April 1 at the mouth near St. Louis. River

flows will be at minimum service levels. As in 2004 and 2005, minimum navigation targets may not be supported in April in reaches where there is no traffic. The season length is anticipated to be shortened by 32 to 61 days, depending on runoff in the coming months. The final decision will be based on the water-in-storage check on July 1.

Steady to rising levels in the upper three reservoirs during the annual forage fish spawn are likely with normal or above normal runoff this spring. However, this may not be possible at all three reservoirs under low runoff conditions. If rising pools cannot be provided in all three, releases from Garrison Dam will be adjusted to provide a steady to rising level in that reservoir during April and May. The ability to provide such conditions depends on the volume, timing and distribution of the runoff from melting snow in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming.

Gavins Point reservoir will rise nearly two feet to near elevation 1208 feet above mean sea level (msl) in April. Releases averaged 14,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) in March compared to the long-term average of 20,500 cfs. They were gradually increased in 3,000 cfs increments beginning March 17 until they reached 21,000 cfs on March 20 to provide minimum navigation flows at the mouth on April 1 and then lowered early this month because of increased tributary flows below Sioux City. They will average 20,700 cfs in April.

Fort Randall releases averaged 11,600 cfs in March. They were gradually increased in March to maintain Gavins Point reservoir near its desired elevation. The reservoir ended the month at 1355 feet. It will climb a foot in April, ending the month near elevation 1356 feet msl.

Big Bend reservoir will remain in its normal range of 1420 to 1421 feet. Releases will be adjusted to meet hydropower needs.

Oahe reservoir fell a foot in March, ending the month at elevation 1576.7 feet msl. It is expected to fall a foot in April because of the lack of melting snow on the plains, ending the month

29.5 feet below normal. The reservoir is 2.2 feet higher than it was last year at this time.

Garrison releases averaged 14,500 cfs during March, compared to the long-term average of 19,900 cfs. They are expected to average15,000 cfs in April, less than the 19,500 cfs average. Garrison reservoir remained essentially level in March, ending the month at 1810.7 feet msl. It will rise half a foot to 1811.1 feet in April, ending 23 feet below normal. The reservoir is 2.1 feet higher than last year at this time.

Fort Peck releases averaged 5,400 cfs in March, compared to the long-term average of 8,300 cfs. They will average 6,000 cfs in April. The reservoir rose a foot in March, ending the month at elevation 2201.5 feet msl. It will remain essentially steady in April, ending the month 29.7 feet below normal. It is 2.9 feet higher than last year at this time.

The six main stem power plants generated 489 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity in March, only 73 percent of normal because of lower pool levels and reduced releases from the dams. The forecast for energy production in 2006 is 6.3 billion kWh, compared to the average of 10 billion kWh.

Daily and forecasted reservoir and river information is available to the public on the Water Management section of the Northwestern Division homepage: www.nwd.usace.army.mil.

MISSOURI RIVER MAINSTEM RESERVOIR DATA

	Pool Elevation (ft msl)			Water in Storage - 1,000 acre-feet
	On Mar 31	Change in Mar	On Mar 31		% of 19672005 Average		Change in Mar
Fort Peck	2201.5	+1.1	9,222		64		+174
Garrison	1810.7	+0.1	11,076		64		+36
Oahe	1576.7	-0.9	11,024		60		-185
Big Bend	1420.3	0.0	1,638		95		+1
Fort Randall	1355.0	+6.5	3,533		93		+518
Gavins Point	1206.2	-0.7	363		98		-19
				36,856		66		+525

WATER RELEASES AND ENERGY GENERATION FOR MARCH

	Average Release in 1,000 cfs	Releases in 1,000 af	Generation in 1,000 MWh
Fort Peck	5.4	332	45
Garrison	14.5	891	114
Oahe	18.9	1,163	149
Big Bend	18.0	1,104	66
Fort Randall	11.6	712	76
Gavins Point	14.0	859	39
			489