Missouri River and Reservoir levels are managed by the Northwestern Division's Missouri River Water Management Office. Operating orders for reservoir release rates are sent to each dam's project operations manager with a target release rate for the day. Under normal conditions, all releases are through the hydropower plant to generate electricity.

The Reservoir Control Center updates daily river and reservoir bulletins each morning. River stages and flows diplay data captured at 6:00 a.m. Raw reservoir data is reviewed water management staff each morning, average daily inflows are computed, and that information is populated in the bulletins by 10:00 a.m. each morning.

For more detailed water management information, visit the Northwestern Division's Missouri River Water Management website.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' emergency authorities, including those for flood fighting, are authorized under the provisions of Public Law 84-99, Flood and Coastal  Emergencies (33 U.S.C. 701n) (69 Stat. 186) as amended. 

More information on PL84-99.

USACE will provide technical advice and direct assistance on fighting floods when requested by States or Tribes. Other types of supplemental assistance are available under special circumstances. These are discussed below.

State, Tribal, and local authorities should initiate a program of Disaster Preparedness, if they do not already have one. Such a program should include maintaining existing flood control projects, stockpiling or otherwise providing for sandbags and other material and equipment, and training personnel to handle emergency situations.

When a flood occurs, USACE can undertake emergency operations to supplement local efforts to protect life and infrastructure. A declaration of a state of emergency or a written request from the Governor or Tribal Chairperson is required before support can be provided.

Also required are local assurances of cooperation and indemnification of the United States from damages. USACE assistance may include furnishing flood fight materials and equipment and hiring equipment and operators for flood fight operations. The USACE can assume a leadership role in the fight if responsible local authorities are unable to cope with the situation. USACE efforts will cease when floodwaters have receded. 

Protective or preventative measures taken during a flood fight will usually be of a temporary nature. After the fight is over, local interests are responsible for removing any temporary structures that the USACE installed. 

The USACE has sandbags available but State governments and Tribes, should first make full use of their own resources. This includes stockpiling sandbags and other materials needed for immediate emergency response. 

Sandbags provided by USACE are not for stockpiling and may only be provided in actual emergency situations when local supplies have been or will soon be exhausted. All loaned supplies and material are to be replaced in kind or the Government reimbursed for the costs of the materials. 

Supplies of sandbags have been established at various District field offices. Local officials are to request sandbags and other flood fight materials through the State Division of Emergency Management, From there requests should be directed to the Omaha District, Emergency Management Branch, 402-995-2448 (24-hr emergency number). All issued supplies will be require issuing a hand receipt to a local responsible official.

The USACE authorities for post flood response activities are authorized under Section 917 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, Public Law 99-662. This amendment to Public Law 84-99 expands the USACE authority for providing emergency relief work following a flood or coastal storm disaster. 

All USACE post flood response work under Section 917 must be accomplished within ten days of the Governor's request for a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) and Federal disaster assistance under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) PL 93-288 authority. 

Post flood response actions will vary with the type and severity of the emergency. The following guidelines dictate general policy: 

• USACE assistance is limited to the preservation of life and/or improved property (i.e., residential/commercial developments and public facilities/services). Assistance to individual homeowners and businesses including agricultural property is not permitted. 
• USACE  assistance will complement the maximum State, Tribal, and local efforts. Non-Federal interests must commit available resources (i.e. manpower, supplies, equipment, funds, etc.). 
• USACE assistance will be temporary to meet the immediate threat. It is not intended to provide permanent solutions to flooding problems.
• All emergency activities performed by USACE will be coordinated through the State Emergency Management Office, Tribal Council, and applicable FEMA Regional Office. 
• USACE activities (with the exception of loaned supplies and equipment), will be 100 percent Federally funded. Reimbursement of State, Tribal, and local interests for their costs is not authorized.
• Local assurances to provide necessary real estate and indemnification of the United State resulting from USACE response efforts is required.

Assistance to a State or Tribe under the authority of Section 917 will be considered for the following categories: 

• Clearance of key drainage channels or structures blocked by debris deposited during the flood.
• Removal of debris and blockages of critical water supply intakes, sewer outfalls, bridge openings, etc. Additionally, removal of minimum debris necessary to reopen critical transportation routes. 
• Temporary construction required to restore critical transportation routes or public services/facilities. 
• Reduction and/or prevention of shoreline damage or beach erosion will not be undertaken unless there is an immediate threat to life or critical public facilities.
• Other assistance required to prevent imminent loss of life or property as determined by the USACE District Commander. Work should be within the scope of emergency construction activities normally engaged in by USACE.

USACE post flood assistance will be limited to major floods or disasters resulting in life and/or property threatening situations. Specific guidelines for providing assistance are as follows:

• A written request from the Governor or Tribal Chairperson to the USACE District Commander is required to receive assistance. The Governor or Tribal request must verify that he/she has requested FEMA to initiate a preliminary damage assessment. The request must also indicate the requested assistance is beyond the State's or Tribe's present capability to perform, identify specific damage locations, and indicate the extent of USACE assistance required to supplement current State, Tribe, and local efforts. The request should be transmitted concurrently with his/her request for FEMA's PDA. 
• USACE assistance is limited to ten days following receipt of the Governor's or Tribe's written request. All work must be completed within the ten day period, or upon assumption by the State and local interests. The ten day work period is not affected by a subsequent Presidential declaration or denial. No extension of the ten day time limit will be granted. 
• After the Governor's or Tribe's request for assistance has triggered the ten day period, subsequent requests for additional assistance resulting from the same flood or disaster will not extend the ten day period or trigger a new ten day period. 
• The USACE will not take action on requests received subsequent to a Presidential declaration or denial.

USACE emergency assistance under PL 84‐99 during flood events is temporary in nature to meet the immediate threat and will be undertaken only to supplement Federally Recognized Tribal efforts. The assistance is to provide mitigation to critical public infrastructure only against floodwaters.

USACE policy precludes the use of PL 84‐99 flood fight authority for protection of private residences and/or private developments unless such protection is afforded to critical public facilities and/or public infrastructure within the area to be protected. Tribes, just like the states, must commit all available resources, i.e. work force, supplies, equipment, funds, etc. as a general condition of USACE assistance.

USACE emergency efforts are not intended to provide permanent solutions to flood problems and are provided strictly for the protection of public facilities and infrastructure. To request assistance from USACE, the Tribe may come directly to USACE with a request that includes a detailed assessment of the resources committed, the current actions of the Tribe, what type of assistance they are requesting (technical or direct), point of contact and specific details on exactly what the community is looking for in assistance. A sample Request for Assistance Letter is provided to each Tribe prior to the start of each flooding season.

The USACE’s authority under PL‐84‐99 does not allow for compensation for actions taken by the Tribe (sponsor) during a flash flooding event. For example, placing Rip Rap to an eroding hillside to keep key roadways open to emergency responders cannot be compensated by USACE. PL‐84‐99 does not allow for the protection of homes/residential areas, Tribally owned housing or casinos do not fall within the defiinition of critical instrastructure. Although the structures may be Tribally-owned, they do not fall within the definition of critical infrastructure. Although funding cannot be provided, the USACE can provide technical advice on construction of temporary levees to help reduce flood damages to a residential area. 

TERO is applicable to private contractors working on tribal property. TERO does not apply to work being performed by Federal employees or to private contractors working on Federal property.

USACE is not a party to the TERO agreement. The TERO office and the contractor will need to coordinate with each other.  However, if possible USACE should make the TERO office aware of the potential contract and invite the TERO office to attend the site visit / pre-bid conference and offer to allow the TERO office to make any statements the contractors should be aware of when developing bids.  

TERO offices generally require contractors to sign an agreement with a levy of 2 percent of the contract value and with terms regarding employment arrangements for tribal members. The contractor is entitled to factor the 2 percent levy into the bid so ultimately the federal government pays the cost. This practice is similar to permits or state taxes a contractor is subject to. Because most flood fight contracts are extremely time sensitive, consideration must be given to requesting the TERO office waive enforcement of the employment arrangement portion of the TERO agreement. A contractor with a very short performance period may not be able to accommodate and orientate an unfamiliar workforce, potentially resulting in choosing not to bid or increasing the bid and jeopardizing a contract award. Waiver of terms of TERO agreements is strictly at the discretion of the TERO office. Requesting a waiver of TERO employment terms would best come from USACE on behalf of all contractors prior to bidding so that all contractors bidding on equal terms.