Sakakawea Lake Level

[VoodooShaman]

Anyone out there know why the corps is dropping the lake level. The releases through the dam have been summer amounts most of the winter. In just the past week, garrison levels are down nearly 6".

 

[Kurtr]

we need more water in oahe

 

[Allen]

Kurtr isn't wrong. Sakakawea, Fort Peck, and Oahe are the big 3 along the Missouri River, usually they try to equally distribute the total amount of water (relatively speaking) between those three reservoirs. They came into fall way out of whack, and they've been rebalancing the system to bring them back into a more equal amount of full going into spring.

And just so you know, there's always someone along the Missouri in the Bismarck area complaining about the "low water" on the river. I hear it all the time from friends and acquaintances.

 

[Wall-eyes]

Missouri river is crazy low some area can walk across

 

[SLE]

well, don't hold your breath for a big rise this year, the snow pack from here west so far is wayyyyyy below average and I don't see that changing looking at the weather or jet stream forecast. Its running less than 50% as a whole including the mountain ranges within the run-off basin.

 

[Allen]

Missouri river is crazy low some area can walk across

Under normal conditions, there are always places you can walk across the river if you know where to look. But the Missouri River is not "crazy low" right now. They are at 25,000 cfs discharge out of Garrison, which is on the high end for winter releases. It is scheduled to fall to about 16,000 cfs in early March as they reach their desired rebalance of the big 3.

https://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/twregfcast.pdf

Regrettably, the mountain snowpack is still looking really bleak.

 

[Allen]

The U.S. Drought Monitor is likely to explode in the coming weeks/months with broader coverage of higher drought intensity based on the current conditions and forecasts/outlooks. And yes, that includes most of ND.

 

[tikkalover]

It's because God is dumping all the rain on the west side of the mountains trying to wash California into the ocean.

 

[SLE]

It's because God is dumping all the rain on the west side of the mountains trying to wash California into the ocean.

one can only hope........

 

[Traxion]

Lower basic puts Sak at 1832 end of June. Oahe at 1589 end of September. Very likely I’d guess!

 

[Coldfront]

Just came back from snowmobiling in the Yellowstone area and the snow is very low. I have been going out there since 1982 and I think this was the lowest snow depth I have on this side of the divide in the mountains at this time of the year.

 

[Rowdie]

Lower basic puts Sak at 1832 end of June. Oahe at 1589 end of September. Very likely I’d guess!

1589 Is pretty low for Oahe, we'll be on low water ramps.

 

[BDub]

1589 is a disaster for North Dakota ramps.

 

[SLE]

Just came back from snowmobiling in the Yellowstone area and the snow is very low. I have been going out there since 1982 and I think this was the lowest snow depth I have on this side of the divide in the mountains at this time of the year.

I've canceled out on two trip to ride out west this year because of this. They just finally got the base snow pack that we normally see out there in December or no later than early January and here we are knocking on the beginning of March. Of course, the kid is coming into AAU basketball season in a couple weeks so it's looking like I may miss out on a trip west all together this year.......

 

[Traxion]

1589 Is pretty low for Oahe, we'll be on low water ramps.

Their projections this month aren’t pretty. I don’t see how we meet basic conditions with little snow out west.

https://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/pdfs/ResFcst_2.pdf

 

[BDub]

https://media.defense.gov/2023/Dec/06/2003352481/780/780/0/231206-A-GV764-0001.PNG

Last December 6th we were fishing out of the Jennervile ramp. It was the only ramp usable. The elevation was 1598. 1589 would be a disaster

 

[Rowdie]

There are some advantages if it drops that low.

 

[risingsun]

There are some advantages if it drops that low.

Especially if you are in the business of repairing props.

 

[walleyewanker]

Boat is going for sale if river levels end up like that.

 

[BDub]