Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009) Recent Comments

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 20:25:22

posted by: sdwxman. LOL. They really need to "look out the window" before putting these releases out.

Tim Sandstrom Said:
They just wrote a news release that says we are going to top out at 1840 in July. Oh well.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 19:51:43

posted by: Tim Sandstrom. Geez, I haven't checked the site for a couple days. We are already flirting with 1843.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 19:45:43

posted by: Tim Sandstrom. They just wrote a news release that says we are going to top out at 1840 in July. Oh well.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 18:57:10

posted by: Allen. eyexer, the Corps has made it rain and snow?

I know a fair number of people who are pretty confident in their ability to predict the weather, and none of them predicted back in Jan, Feb, March, April, or even in late May that Bismarck would have received over 17.4 inches of precip by July 15th. Which of course is 0.6 inches above our annual average.

Please see: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=bis&storyid=29656&source=0

And at this point Bismarck is not alone in being unusually wet. This wet area extends throughout most of western (below Williston) ND right now and well into Montana and the mountains.

It would take a far better crystal ball than I own to predict that Bismarck would be above the pace needed to set a single year precipitation record.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 17:33:34

posted by: eyexer. Isn't the Corp amazing!

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 16:31:25

posted by: kpurchin_up. ya, we noticed 8lb flats had increased about 26ft when we were at Sak.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 16:12:10

posted by: Tonts1.

That really is amazing.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-15 15:58:23

posted by: walleye94. Here's the corps latest 3 week forecast, shows SAK getting to 1843 by July 28th.

http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/rcc/reports/twout.html

Hard to believe in April 08, only 15 months ago, the lake was around 1807...that's a lot of water.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-07 07:54:34

posted by: Allen. The "Bible" is a pretty good way to put it as it does dictate what the Corps can and can't do as well as what they have to do.

The current Missouri River Master Manual was issued in March of 2006. That's why I say it is only now really being tested with water in the system. With the reservoirs back to near full across the board it will be interesting to see how levels respond in the future to the new management criteria.

I can only imagine it will be better for us up north than in the past as there are stronger provisions in the manual for upstream interests.

re: Corps New Forecast for Sakakawea (July 2009)

2009-07-07 07:51:56

posted by: Tim Sandstrom. Allen,

Yeah I guess that is what I meant by they learned their lesson. It took two massive droughts for them to change something written in the last stone age. And maybe finally realizing the barge industry and other navigation industries on the Missouri really were being phased out on their own. Trucking, trains, air freight, etc, etc.

If it is due to the Master Manual then it will a breath of fresh air as many including the Friends of Sakakawea folks believe the Master Manual to fall short. Quite honestly, I started reading much of it but I hardly remember all the specifics. Kinda like how our Representatives in the country read bills I think...ha!

sdwxman,

Peck, according to the upper Basic (which I think is the closest forecast) is expected to level at 2229 which is only 5 feet below normal operating pool. Worst case scenario (the basic) says 2224. So considering where Peck or all the reservoirs for that matter, we are sitting very good. I haven't looked at Peck to see the million acre graph on how the lake fills but I have to think with the terrain and country that makes up Peck that the top half might be the easiest to fill. Just speculation. I could go look and will in a bit.

Rained out on the construction job. Yippy, that means the job will last two weeks instead of one. Boooo......