OMAHA, Neb. - Jamestown Reservoir releases will be increased to 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) on Wednesday, May 21. Pipestem Reservoir releases will remain unchanged at 5 cfs. The combined release will be 505 cfs. Stages are expected to increase by about 4 inches at the James River at Jamestown gage.
Pipestem Reservoir is currently at pool elevation 1459.1 feet which results in 17 percent of the flood pool occupied. Inflows are currently 160 cfs with a reservoir release of 5 cfs. Jamestown Reservoir is currently at pool elevation 1433.4 feet which results in 3.2 percent of the flood pool occupied. Inflows are currently 400 cfs with a reservoir release of 445 cfs. The combined release is 450 cfs.
This release increase is necessary to speed the evacuation of the Jamestown Reservoir flood storage and draw the lake down to the normal summer elevation of 1431 feet. The combined release of 500 cfs is expected to continue until the Jamestown Reservoir flood storage is evacuated on or near June 1. Pipestem Reservoir flood storage will be primarily evacuated in June, July and August with a release of around 200 cfs. All flows may change depending on rain over the summer.
Release no. 20140520-001