Jamestown, N.D. – Jamestown and Pipestem Reservoirs continue to evacuate water as forecasted. Inflows continue to be higher than normal, but the reservoir pool levels are dropping at a rate of 0.7 feet per day at Pipestem Reservoir and 0.3 feet per day at Jamestown Reservoir.

 

Currently, Jamestown Reservoir releases are 1400 cfs and Pipestem Reservoir releases are 1000 cfs, resulting in a combined release of 2400 cfs. Releases will begin to be cut within the next couple of weeks, followed by a gradual reduction as the remainder of the flood control storage is evacuated. 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.

 

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.

With the continued high releases from the reservoirs, 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.

? Reservoir level – 1439.1 feet (0.3 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 – 17.4%

? Feet of water in flood control storage – 9.5 feet

 

? Reservoir level – 1466.7 feet (0.7 foot decrease per day)

? 2011 reservoir peak – 1488.7 feet on Aug 21

? Reservoir inflow – 290 cfs

? Reservoir release – 1000 cfs

? Amount of flood control storage occupied – 27.6%

? Feet of water in flood control storage – 24 feet

 

 

? Flow rate – 2430 cfs

? River stage – 13.0 feet

? Flood stage – 12 feet