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Less Water Released from Missouri River Dams because of Rain

After a record year for Missouri River flooding, an independent panel says the Army Corps of Engineers performed well, but the manual that guides water management needs revision.
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After a record year for Missouri River flooding, an independent panel says the Army Corps of Engineers performed well, but the manual that guides water management needs revision.

The amount of water being released from dams along the Missouri River has been cut to help reduce the risk of flooding downstream after recent heavy rains.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reduced the amount of water released from Gavins Point dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border to 14,000 cubic feet per second from 21,000.

Water management chief Jody Farhat the change should reduce the risk of flooding downstream of the dams in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. But it won't eliminate the chance of flooding.

Flooding can still occur if heavy rains fall in areas where streams and the Missouri River are already at elevated levels.

The Corps will increase releases from the dams after river levels begin to fall.

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