Despite improved runoff in June, water conservation measures will continue for the second half of the navigation flow support season, based on the July 1 Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System storage.

June runoff in the Missouri River basin above Sioux City, Iowa, was 5.2 million-acre-feet, 94 percent of average. The updated 2022 runoff forecast is 20-million-acre feet, 78 percent of average and 1.7-million-acre-feet higher than last month’s forecast. June runoff into Garrison was 110 percent of average.

John Remus of the Army Corps of Engineers says, “Heavy rain in mid-June on the upper Yellowstone River, coincided with mountain snowmelt increasing inflows into Garrison reservoir.” However, due to the ongoing drought and the amount of water stored in the reservoir system, water conservation measures will likely continue through the remainder of 2022 and into 2023.

Officials say releases from Gavins Point will likely be at a minimum rate of 12,000 cubic feet per second.