Runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa, was 2.4 million acre feet (MAF) during February. This is 219 percent of average.
The Corps of Engineers will continue to monitor basin conditions including plains snowmelt, mountain snow accumulation, and spring rainfall and will adjust reservoir operations accordingly. If changed conditions result in a significant increase in flood risk, the Corps will appreciably increase its communication and outreach efforts to convey that information to basin stakeholders.
“Warm temperatures melted much of the plains snowpack that had accumulated throughout the winter in the upper Missouri River basin resulting in above average runoff during February," said Jody Farhat, chief of the Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.
Only small areas in central North Dakota have significant plains snowpack remaining. Areas of eastern Montana and central Wyoming have less than an inch of liquid content in their remaining snowpack, and little or no snow remains elsewhere in the Dakotas.
“Runoff from plains snowmelt that would normally occur in March and April started early this year, and some has already entered the reservoir system,” said Farhat. “Additionally, warm temperatures released water that had been locked up in river ice, contributing to higher than average February runoff.”
Read More at: http://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/1104934/february-runoff-above-average-public-meetings-scheduled-for-april-11-13/
The Corps of Engineers will continue to monitor basin conditions including plains snowmelt, mountain snow accumulation, and spring rainfall and will adjust reservoir operations accordingly. If changed conditions result in a significant increase in flood risk, the Corps will appreciably increase its communication and outreach efforts to convey that information to basin stakeholders.
“Warm temperatures melted much of the plains snowpack that had accumulated throughout the winter in the upper Missouri River basin resulting in above average runoff during February," said Jody Farhat, chief of the Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.
Only small areas in central North Dakota have significant plains snowpack remaining. Areas of eastern Montana and central Wyoming have less than an inch of liquid content in their remaining snowpack, and little or no snow remains elsewhere in the Dakotas.
“Runoff from plains snowmelt that would normally occur in March and April started early this year, and some has already entered the reservoir system,” said Farhat. “Additionally, warm temperatures released water that had been locked up in river ice, contributing to higher than average February runoff.”
Read More at: http://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/1104934/february-runoff-above-average-public-meetings-scheduled-for-april-11-13/
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