(Radio Iowa) – The drought has eased across much of the Midwest, but dry conditions persists in the upper Missouri River basin, prompting the U-S Army Corps of Engineers to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam at the minimum rate.
After four years of drought, heavy rains brought Iowa completely out of the drought this spring, but abnormally dry conditions are returning, and now cover about two-thirds of the state. John Remus, chief of the Corp’s Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, says the long-range forecast doesn’t provide much hope for improvement.
Remus says he understands the continued minimum water releases puts pressure on cities, businesses, and utilities that rely on the Missouri River. The Corps reports 73-percent of the Missouri River Basin is experiencing dry or drought conditions.