U.S. Water News Online
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Runoff into the Missouri River reservoir system in 2006 was below normal for a seventh straight year, the Army Corps of Engineers reports.
Runoff in 2006 was 74 percent of normal. This year's forecast is for 79 percent of normal, the corps said. Despite snow over much of the upper Missouri basin in late December, "drought maintains its grip in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota," the agency said in its monthly report.
"Warm temperatures allowed us to maintain lower than normal releases from the system of reservoirs in December," said the corps' Larry Cieslik. "But, the levels of Fort Peck, Garrison and Oahe reservoirs each fell slightly due to low runoff."
The corps said water releases from North Dakota's Garrison Dam averaged 15,300 cubic feet per second during December compared with the average of 20,700 cfs. Releases will be maintained near 16,300 cfs through this month, the corps statement said.
North Dakota's Lake Sakakawea dropped 1.1 feet in December, ending the year at 1,807.8 feet, and is expected to drop to 1,807.1 feet at the end of January.
Lake Sakakawea will end the month 25.7 feet below normal and 4.2 feet lower than last year, the corps statement said.
The six mainstem power plants generated 463 million kilowatt hours of electricity in December, -- 65 percent of normal because of lower pool levels and lower releases from the dams, the corps said.
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