Missouri River Basin Water Management U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division

Spring precipitation in the Missouri River Basin brought some much-needed moisture. April runoff was 2.1 MAF, 71% of average, for the basin above Sioux City, Iowa. The annual runoff forecast for the upper Missouri River Basin above Sioux City is 19.2 MAF, 75% of average, and 1.7 MAF higher than last month’s forecast. Drought conditions in the upper Basin are likely to persist. System storage is 49.9 MAF, 6.2 MAF below the top of the carryover multiple use zone.

Test flows from Fort Peck Dam to comply with the 2018 Biological Opinion are beginning to be lowered to a target of 10,000 cfs on May 9 and held through mid-June. The test is required under the Endangered Species Act for operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System. These weekly virtual meetings are aimed at updating the public on test progress, monitoring and planned operations.

Test flows from Fort Peck Dam to comply with the 2018 Biological Opinion began Fri., April 26. The 2018 Biological Opinion requires the test under the Endangered Species Act for operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System. These weekly virtual meetings during the flow test to update the public on test progress, monitoring and planned operations.

Test flows from Fort Peck Dam to comply with the 2018 Biological Opinion will begin Fri., April 26. The 2018 Biological Opinion requires the test under the Endangered Species Act for operation of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host weekly virtual meetings during the flow test to update the public on test progress and planned operations.

The latest 2024 calendar year runoff forecast for the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa shows slight improvement. The 2024 calendar year runoff forecast above Sioux City is 17.5 million acre-feet (MAF), 68% of average. March runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 1.8 MAF, 59% of average. Even with the lower than average runoff forecast the hydrologic conditions are sufficient to conduct a flow test from Fort Peck Dam” said Remus. “The flow test is a requirement of the 2018 Biological Opinion and is meant to determine if there is a Fort Peck Dam water management scenario that could benefit the Pallid Sturgeon.

A warm February led to increased snowmelt and runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa. February runoff was 1.8 million acre-feet, 161% of average with above average runoff in every reach except Sioux City, which was near average. However, the updated 2024 calendar year runoff forecast for the basin continues to be below average.