US Army Corps of Engineers ®

News Release

Release Number:	06-006
Dated:	3/10/2006
Contact:	Paul T Johnston, 402-697-2552

OMAHA – Runoff into the system of Missouri River reservoirs was 1 million acre feet in February, 96 percent of normal. The mountain remains slightly above normal for this time of the year.

“We are pleased that the mountain snowpack remains slightly above normal,” said Larry Cieslik, Chief of the Water Management office here. It is 105 percent of normal in the reach above Fort Peck and 96 percent in the reach from Fort Peck to Garrison, essentially the Yellowstone River basin.

The amount of water currently stored in the reservoirs is 18 MAF below normal. Runoff for the year is forecasted to be 20 million acre feet (MAF), 79 percent of normal. Normal runoff is 25.2 MAF. System storage at the end of March is forecast to be 37 MAF.

Despite the near normal runoff in February, the total reservoir storage was not high enough on March 1 for the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct the March spring pulse. There was 36.3 MAF of water in the reservoirs, below the limit of 36.5 MAF.

Another storage check will be taken on May 1 to determine if there is enough water in the reservoirs to conduct the May pulse.

Six public meetings to discuss and answer questions about the 2006 Final Annual Operating Plan will be conducted next month. 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 plan for regulating the dams and reservoirs based on the current runoff and storage conditions. 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 will begin 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 31 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.

Opening dates are:

Sioux City, Iowa March 23

Omaha, Neb. March 25

Nebraska City, Neb. March 26

Kansas City, Mo. March 28

Mouth at St. Louis, Mo. April 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 lower about a foot to near elevation 1206 feet above mean sea level (msl) in March to provide additional space during the rainy spring months. Releases averaged 13,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) in February compared to the long-term average of 17,800 cfs. They were reduced to 10,000 cfs late in the month as temperatures moderated. They will be gradually increased in 3,000 cfs increments beginning March 17 until they reach 22,000 to 25,000 cfs on March 21 to provide minimum navigation flows at the mouth on April 1.

Fort Randall releases averaged 11,700 cfs in February. They will be gradually increased in March to maintain Gavins Point reservoir near its desired elevation. The reservoir ended the month at 1348.5 feet and is expected to climb 6.7 feet, ending March to near elevation 1355 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 rose 0.8 feet in February, ending the month at elevation 1577.6 feet msl. It is expected to remain essentially level in March, ending the month 27.7 feet below normal. The reservoir is 1.4 feet higher than it was last year at this time.

Garrison releases averaged 15,500 cfs during February, compared to the long-term average of 24,700 cfs. They are expected to drop to 14,000 cfs in March, less than the 19,900 cfs average. Garrison reservoir fell less than a foot in February, ending the month at 1810.5 feet msl. It will rise half a foot to 1811 feet in March, ending 23 feet below normal. The reservoir is 2.3 feet higher than last year at this time.

Fort Peck releases averaged 7,100 cfs in February, compared to the long-term average of 11,500 cfs. They will average 5,500 cfs in March. The reservoir fell half a foot in February, ending the month at elevation 2200.4 feet msl. It will rise half a foot in March, ending the month 29.3 feet below normal. It is 2.1 feet higher than last year at this time.

The six main stem power plants generated 391 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity in February, only 60 percent of normal because of reduced releases from the dams. The forecast for energy production in 2006 is 6.1 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.

	Pool Elevation (ft msl)			Water in Storage - 1,000 acre-feet
	On Feb 28	Change in Feb	On Feb 28		% of 19672005 Average		Change in Feb
Fort Peck	2200.4	-0.6	9,048		63		-86
Garrison	1810.6	-0.8	11,040		65		-182
Oahe	1577.6	+0.8	11,209		64		+172
Big Bend	1420.3	-0.5	1,637		95		-25
Fort Randall	1348.5	+0.8	3,015		88		+62
Gavins Point	1206.9	-0.4	382		103		-9
				36,331		67		-68

	Average Release in 1,000 cfs	Releases in 1,000 af	Generation in 1,000 MWh
Fort Peck	7.1	395	53
Garrison	15.5	859	109
Oahe	12.4	691	87
Big Bend	11.9	659	41
Fort Randall	11.7	647	66
Gavins Point	13.4	742	35
			391