Drought reduced August runoff in the Missouri River Basin
9/8/2022 12:30:14 PM
CATEGORIES:
Energy
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Montana
Garfield County, MT
McCone County, MT
Petroleum County, MT
Phillips County, MT
Valley County, MT
North Dakota
Nebraska
South Dakota
Campbell County, SD
Corson County, SD
Dewey County, SD
Hughes County, SD
Potter County, SD
Stanley County, SD
Sully County, SD
Walworth County, SD
Start Date: 8/1/2022
- End Date: 12/31/2022
August runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa fell to 0.9 million acre-feet, which is 62% of average, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Runoff for all of 2022 is predicted to be 20.2 million acre-feet, or 78% of average. Runoff into South Dakota’s Oahe Reservoir was just 10% of average in August.
Fort Peck Dam is expected to lower its releases to 4,000 cubic feet per second by mid-September, down from 7,800 cfs. Winter releases from Gavins Point Dam on the South Dakota border with Nebraska will be 12,000 cfs to conserve water.
Power generation is projected to be 7.3 billion kilowatt hours in 2022, compared to the long-term average of 9.4 billion kilowatt hours.
Billings Gazette (Mont.), Sept 7, 2022
Sources
