OMAHA – Releases from Jamestown Dam were decreased by 600 cfs at 11 p.m. Tuesday to help City of Jamestown crews repair a section of storm sewer. They were returned to 1,800 cfs at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Releases are expected to increase to 2,000 cfs Wednesday afternoon.

Releases from Pipestem were increased at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday from 800 cfs to 1,000 cfs. The total from the two dams will be 3,000 cfs.

With inflows slowing into Jamestown, the start of spillway flows are now expected to begin Monday, Apr. 26. The reservoir is forecast to peak at 1,455 feet on May 2, 1 foot above the spillway crest.

Though not in the current forecasts from the National Weather Service, heavy rain of 1.5” to 2” could provide enough runoff to result in higher spillway flows. While higher spillway flows are not expected, high releases from the dam will continue to reduce the likelihood of this happening. Releases from the two dams will be gradually adjusted each day to reach approximately 4,000 cfs by Friday or Saturday.

The river at the Jamestown gage near the I-94 bridge and downstream, will rise approximately about 3 feet from current levels when the flow reaches 4,000 cfs.

Around-the-clock surveillance of the levees is being conducted by teams of National Guard Soldiers and Corps experts walking the levees to check for any seepage or damage. The Guard has two rapid response teams that can respond with sandbags and equipment if necessary.

Continuous surveillance at the dams confirms that they remain safe. Dam safety experts from the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation are reading monitoring instruments and measuring relief wells around the clock and express confidence that the dams are performing well.

Daily Information Update

Pipestem Reservoir :
• Current reservoir level – 1,492.1 feet (+0.4 feet/ 24 hours)
• Spillway flows – None expected
• Current Reservoir Inflow – 1,515 cfs
• Current Reservoir Release – 1000 cfs

Jamestown Reservoir:
• Current reservoir level – 1,453 feet (+0.6 ft/ 24 hours)
• Forecast reservoir level – 1,457 feet
• Spillway flows – April 26 to May 25
• Current Reservoir Inflow – 4,840 cfs
• Current Reservoir Release – 1,800 cfs [2,000 today]

Stream gage on James River (Upstream of I-94 Bridge):
• Current flow rate – 2,379 cfs
• Current river stage – 13 feet
Forecast stage – 15 feet
• Flood stage – 12 feet
• Daily stage change – 0 feet


Daily bulletin updates are available from the Corps’ website: https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/

Email this page to a friend: