November 6, 2018
Runoff into the Missouri River's reservoirs continues at above average levels. To evacuate that water to make room for next spring's runoff, releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, will remain at above-average levels through November.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that Gavins Point releases will remain at 58,000 cubic feet per second. Releases will be reduced to near 50,000 cfs in late November before being reduced to the winter release rate of 20,000 cfs around Dec. 11.
October runoff into the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 1.9 million acre feet, 160 percent of average. As a result, the 2018 runoff forecast in the river basin has been raised to 41.4 MAF, 163 percent of average. That total would be the third highest runoff in 120 years of record keeping.
