Missouri River Basin Water Management US Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Navigator s Meeting February 12, 2014 Bill Doan, P.E. Missouri River Basin Water Management US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG
2013 Climate Summary Cooler & Very Wet Yet 2013 Runoff was essentially normal
U.S. Soil Moisture Percentage - High Precipitation in Upper Great Plains replenished soil moisture - Very dry to very wet
U.S. Drought Monitor (comparison) 1 Year ago 6 Months ago Drought conditions have improved throughout the Missouri River Basin over the past 12 months. Graphics courtesy of National Drought Mitigation Center Most recent
Recent Precipitation (Percent of Normal) January 1 January 31 November 1 January 31 > 150% of normal Western and central Montana Northwest Wyoming < 50% of normal Large portions of central and northern plains > 150% of normal Portions of Montana < 50% of normal Portions of the lower Basin below Sioux City Isolated areas in the upper Basin Graphics courtesy of High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC)
Plains Snowpack (comparison) 10 February 2011 Extensive Coverage 2-5 Widespread 10 February 2012 Very Limited Coverage Very Limited Moisture 10 February 2013 Limited Coverage Limited Moisture 7 February 2014 Extensive Coverage Limited Moisture Graphics courtesy of National Weather Service NOHRSC (National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center) BUILDING STRONG
Inches of Water Equivalent 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Missouri Basin Mountain Snowpack Water Content Total above Fort Peck O N D J F M A M J J A S February 7, 2014 Inches of Water Equivalent 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Total Fort Peck to Garrison O N D J F M A M J J A S 2013-14 1981-2010 Ave 1997 2001 2013-14 1981-2010 Ave 1997 2001 *Generally considered the high and low year of the last 20-year period. Provisional data. Subject to revision. BUILDING STRONG
U.S. Drought Forecast Graphics courtesy of NOAA Most recent
Missouri River Mainstem System Annual Runoff above Sioux City, IA 70 60 50 Million Acre-Feet Historic Drought Periods 40 U.D. 10% 30 U.Q. 25% 2014 Median 50% 20 L.Q. L.D. 75% 90% 10 0 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Missouri River Mainstem System Storage Zones and Allocations Exclusive Flood Control 7% Annual Flood Control & Multiple Use 16% Historic max - 2011 Feb 7, 2014 72.8 50.4 Storage In MAF 72.4 67.7 56.1 Carryover Multiple Use 53% Historic min - 2007 33.9 March 1, 2013 48.5 MAF March 1, 2014 50.6 MAF (forecast) Permanent Pool 24% 17.6 0 10
Current Reservoir Levels February 7, 2014 Fort Peck Exclusive Flood Control Annual Flood Control & Multiple Use Carryover Multiple Use 2222.5 2220.1 Elevation in feet msl 2250 2246 2234 Garrison Exclusive Flood Control Annual Flood Control & Multiple Use Carryover Multiple Use 1832.2 2220.1 Elevation in feet msl 1854 1850 1837.5 Exclusive Flood Control Annual Flood Control & Multiple Use Permanent Pool 11.5 feet below base of Flood Control zone Oahe 2220.1 2160 2030 Elevation in feet msl Permanent Pool 5.3 feet below base of Flood Control zone Fort Randall 1620 Exclusive Flood Control 1617 Annual Flood Control & Multiple Use 1607.5 1601.8 1345.2 2220.1 1775 1673 Elevation in feet msl 1375 1365 1350 Carryover Multiple Use Carryover Multiple Use Permanent Pool 5.7 feet below base of Flood Control zone 1540 1415 Permanent Pool 4.8 feet below base of Flood Control zone 1320 1240
Planned Operation for 2014 2014 Runoff Forecast = 26.7 MAF (106% of normal) 5.5 MAF below the base of the Annual Flood Control zone at the start of the 2014 runoff season Carryover/Multiple Use Zone will be 85% full Drought conservations measures implemented Minimum winter releases Reduced support for navigation Missing navigation targets in reaches without commercial navigation Use of the Kansas Basin reservoirs for navigation support Cycling Gavins Point releases
Planned Operation for 2014 (cont d) Missouri River navigation flow support forecast 1 st half of season: 3,300 cfs below Full Service support level 2 nd half of season: slightly below Full Service support level Full Season Length Season Open Sioux City, IA March 23 Omaha, NE March 25 Kansas City, MO March 28 Mouth of Missouri April 1
Planned Operation for 2014 (cont d) No Gavins Point spring pulse in 2014 Favor Garrison during the forage fish spawn if inflows are not sufficient to keep all three upper reservoirs rising Public meetings scheduled April 8-10, 2014 Monthly calls with Congressional delegations, Tribes, states, local officials and media Audio file available on website or as podcast on itunes BUILDING STRONG
Thank You! Bill Doan, P.E. 402.996.3875 bill.p.doan@usace.army.mil http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/ Or Google Corps Missouri River BUILDING STRONG
Independent External Review Panel Panel Recommendations 1. Support a program of infrastructure enhancement Vulnerability Report released October 12, 2012 2. Update hydrologic studies to include 2011 Ongoing; critical studies updated prior to 2013 AOP 3. Review of System storage allocations Report released April 13, 2012 4. Improved cooperation/collaboration with NWS, USGS & NRCS on water supply forecasting; improved communication with tribal, state, local officials Ongoing coordination on runoff forecasts Fusion Forecasting Team (Corps, NWS, USGS) coordinating on river forecasts Monthly calls with Congressional delegations, Tribes, state and local government and the press began again in January 2013 Public meetings, press releases, speaking engagements, agency and interest group meetings, etc BUILDING STRONG
Independent External Review Panel (cont d) Panel Recommendations 5. Studies to enhance data collection and forecasting especially plains snow Meeting held with Federal, state and other officials in Bismarck on 18 & 19 September 2012. Participation by NOAA (River Forecast Centers, Weather Forecast Offices,, National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center), NRCS, USGS, Corps (NWD & Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory), States of ND, SD, MT and WY, High Plains Regional Climate Center, National Drought Mitigation Center, Western Governors Association, Missouri River Basin Interagency Roundtable. Focus on plains snow water content and basin conditions (soil moisture, frost depths, temperature and precipitation forecasts). High Plains Regional Climate Center will be repository for all data. Currently scoping project grid, equipment types, costs of installation, operation and maintenance. Several states have committed financial support Corps expanding snowmelt models for upper basin 6. Implement modern interactive, graphics decision support system Website enhancements ongoing, Corps Water Management System (CWMS) development, update legacy models, reservoir simulation model development BUILDING STRONG
Flow in 1000 cfs Flow in 1000 cfs Flow in 1000 cfs 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Missouri River at Sioux City, IA May 9, Gavins Point spillway damage assessment Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Actual (Regulated) Flow Navigation Target Flow System (Gavins) Releases Missouri River at Nebraska City, NE Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Actual (Regulated) Flow Navigation Target Flow System (Gavins) Releases Missouri River at Kansas City, MO Incremental runoff Kansas project flow support Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Actual (Regulated) Flow Navigation Target Flow System (Gavins) Releases Kansas Projects Figure 13a. Actual flow, System releases and navigation target flows Sioux City, IA; Nebraska City, NE and Kansas City, MO.