UPDATE: beknn|var|u0026u|referrer|iabtr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))Corps of Engineers announces release plans for Jamestown and Pipestem Reservoirs
Jamestown, N.D. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that releases will begin to be decreased on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from Jamestown and Pipestem Reservoirs.
Currently, Jamestown Reservoir releases are 1400 cfs and Pipestem Reservoir releases are 1000 cfs, resulting in a combined release of 2400 cfs. Once the release reductions are begun, reductions will continue every day for about a month. With average precipitation, all of the flood control storage in the reservoirs will be evacuated by early to mid-November. Evacuation of flood control storage could take longer if abnormally high rainfall occurs.
The Corps does not control the recreational use of the Jamestown Reservoir, but with the current reservoir pool conditions, it is too early to begin discussions related to ice fishing or other winter activities on the reservoirs. These issues will be determined by local authorities at a later date.
Pipestem Reservoir peaked on August 21 at a level of 1488.7 feet, which is 1.9 feet higher than the previous peak this year of 1486.8 on May 25. Jamestown Reservoir peaked on August 21 at a level of 1450.1 feet, which is 1.2 feet less than the previous peak this year of 1451.3 on May 1.
Jamestown and Pipestem Reservoirs are located along the James River and Pipestem Creek immediately north of Jamestown, N.D. Pipestem Reservoir is a Corps project and Jamestown Reservoir is a Bureau of Reclamation project that is regulated by the Corps when the reservoir is in the flood control zone.
As releases begin to decrease, high flows will continue along the James River and Pipestem Creek for some time. Residents along the James River downstream from Jamestown should continue to monitor flood forecasts by the National Weather Service. The Corps, Bureau of Reclamation and National Weather Service will continue to monitor rainfall and runoff conditions, and provide updated forecasts and release plans as conditions change.
Flood forecasts on the James River in North Dakota and South Dakota are available on the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center website at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc/.
River stages on the James River in North Dakota and South Dakota are available on the U.S. Geological Survey Web site at http://nd.water.usgs.gov/floodinfo/james.html.
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Information Update as of October 17, 2011 12:00 AM
Jamestown Reservoir:
? Reservoir level – 1436.8 feet (0.4 foot decrease per day)
? 2011 reservoir peak pool level – 1451.3 feet on May 1
? Reservoir inflow – 150 cfs
? Reservoir release – 1400 cfs
? Amount of flood control storage occupied – 9.1%
? Feet of water in flood control storage – 7 feet
Pipestem Reservoir:
? Reservoir level – 1462.2 feet (0.7 foot decrease per day)
? 2011 reservoir peak – 1488.7 feet on Aug 21
? Reservoir inflow – 200 cfs
? Reservoir release – 1000 cfs
? Amount of flood control storage occupied – 21.3%
? Feet of water in flood control storage – 19.7 feet
Stream gage on James River (Upstream of I-94 Bridge):
? Flow rate – 2390 cfs
? River stage – 12.9 feet
? Flood stage – 12 feet