Releases Into Missouri River Will Be Reduced

The amount of water flowing into the lower Missouri River will be reduced later this month to help conserve water in the upstream reservoirs during the drought.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it plans to reduce the amount of water it releases out of Gavins Point dam on the South Dakota-Nebraska border to the minimum of 12,000 cubic feet per second in late November.

In a normal winter, about 17,000 cubic feet per second of water is typically released from Gavins Point. During the last two winters, releases ranged between 19,000 and 22,000 cubic feet per second.

The smaller winter releases are part of the Corps' plan for dealing with drought. The length of next year's navigation season along the river could be shortened if the drought continues.