Gavins Point Dam Releases Increased 

The Corps of Engineers said it increased releases to the Missouri River system from Gavins Point Dam from 17,000 cubic feet per second (cfs.) to 19,000 cfs. beginning noon February 5.

The releases were in response to the same influx of cold arctic temperatures that have caused freezing in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The National Weather Service’s forecast indicates the lower Missouri River basin will experience extreme cold temperatures for seven to 10 days. The much colder temperatures have the potential to cause or exacerbate ice formation on tributaries and the mainstem of the lower Missouri River.

“We expect ice forming on the tributaries will reduce inflows into the lower Missouri River,” said John Remus, chief the Corps’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “By slightly increasing releases from Gavins Point Dam, we will minimize potentially lower river stages caused by lower inflows and reduce the chance of ice jams forming in the Missouri River.”

Releases from Gavins Point will remain at 19,000 cfs. until the colder-than-normal temperatures have exited the basin and tributary inflows normalize.

The river ice report is available at: http://go.usa.gov/xARQc.