Corps of Engineers needs new approach

The unfortunate current record-setting flooding in the middle basin of the Mississippi River and the lower basin of the Missouri River is ironically providing the long-sought relief to our drought-depleted Lake Sakakawea.

The ongoing massive inflow of water into these two river systems almost makes it pointless for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide short-term reservoir level forecasts. No sooner does the corps come out with a new reservoir forecast than additional moisture pops up and knocks the numbers way out of the ballpark.

The ongoing downstream flooding is being described as exceeding what took place in the Mississippi River system in 1993. If that’s truly the case, then we can expect discharges from Lake Oahe and Lake Sakakawea to be radically reduced for a number of weeks.

The downstream flooding is coming at a time when western North Dakota is also finally getting some moisture of its own. Moisture also continues to fall upstream in Montana and is providing needed inflows to Fort Peck and Lake Sakakawea.

Again, it is truly sad that such a massive disaster as the one currently taking place in these two river systems is what must occur to allow upstream reservoirs to rebuild their water levels. The ongoing feast-and-famine management approach used by the corps must be remedied to provide a more balanced outcome for all of the Missouri River system reservoirs and the overall river system itself.

Tags: corpsofengineers, missippi, missouri