Omaha, NEB—Inflows to Jamestown Reservoir continue to increase due to snowmelt. As a result, reservoir releases are being increased to 200 cubic feet per second today, and to 400 cfs on Thursday.
Jamestown Reservoir is currently at pool elevation 1435.3 feet, which is 4.3 feet above the base of the flood pool, or approximately 6% full. Inflows are near 800 cfs. Basin conditions and inflows to the reservoir will be continuously evaluated and adjustments to the releases will be made as needed to evacuate the flood storage by the target date of June 1, 2019. Jamestown Dam is owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and releases from the flood pool are directed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Pipestem Reservoir is currently at pool elevation 1463.1 feet, which is 20.6 feet into the flood pool and approximately 22% full. Inflows are currently near 950 cfs with a low level water quality release of 10 cfs. Once ice cover is completely melted at the reservoir this water quality release will be shut down to 0 cfs. Pipestem Reservoir releases will be increased later in the year to evacuate flood storage by a target date of September 1, 2019. Combined maximum releases out of Jamestown and Pipestem Reservoirs is not expected to exceed 750 cfs. Pipestem Dam is owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.
High river flows continue downstream of Jamestown and into South Dakota on the James River, and conditions on the entire James River basin are considered in determining project releases. However, due to the long travel time and the attenuation of water in the river channel, the combined reservoir release of 410 cfs will not significantly impact stages at streamgages below Jamestown, ND.
For additional information, contact the Omaha District Public Affairs Office at (402) 995-2417.
Release no. 19-024