By BRENT MARTIN
Water releases into the Missouri River from the Gavins Point Dam will soon be reduced.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers reports releases will be reduced late this month as navigation along the Missouri comes to an end. Releases are currently 25,500 cubic feet per second (cfs).
“We will continue to make releases from Gavins Point Dam to provide flow support at a level 4,500 cfs less than full service, through the end of the navigation flow support season, which ends on Dec. 1 at the mouth of the Missouri River,” John Remus, chief of the USACE, Missouri River Water Management Division, said in a written statement released by the Corps.
The Army Corps of Engineers will begin reducing flows from Gavins Point around November 22nd. The Corps plans to reduce releases by 3,000 cfs each day until reaching a rate of 15,000 cfs. The Corps says the rate of reduction will then slow to 1,000 cfs every five days until reaching the winter release.
“Based on the Sept. 1 Mainstem Reservoir System storage check, releases from Gavins Point Dam for the 2025-2026 winter will be at the minimum rate of 12,000 cfs,” said Remus.
The Corps reports October runoff in the Missouri River basin above Sioux City, Iowa, was 1.1 million-acre-feet (MAF), which is 89% of average. Runoff was below average in the Fort Peck, Garrison, and Fort Randall reaches and above normal for the remaining reaches. Based on the most recent Drought Monitor, about 54% of the Basin is currently in abnormally dry or drought conditions.
Reservoir studies indicate System storage will be below the base of the Flood Control Zone at the start of the 2026 runoff season, according to the Corps.
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