RIVERDALE – Lake Sakakawea’s current elevation, slightly over 1,838 feet, is not expected to change in 2024 according to the Missouri River Basin first runoff outlook of the year.
Projected Missouri River Basin runoff compiled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is for 20.1-million-acre feet of water this year. That compares to nearly 30 MAF in 2023. The long-term average is 25.7 MAF.
The projections are likely to change as it is early in the snow accumulation season, particularly in the mountains of western Montana, a major source of runoff into the Missouri River system. Nevertheless, early snowfall totals are tracking significantly less than normal in the current El Nino influenced winter season.
Lake Sakakawea is projected to peak at 1,838.6 feet at the end of June before falling to 1,832.8 feet on December 31. While those levels fall well within regular operating levels for the reservoir, the usual spring rise, sometimes several feet, will not occur based on the initial outlook.
Current releases through Garrison Dam are 16,300 cubic feet per second with an inflow of 9,000 cfs. At that rate Lake Sakakawea drops approximately two-tenths of a foot per day.
