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Missouri River will remain high because of water from dams

The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River from upstream dams will remain at a high level for several months because of recent heavy rain and remaining snowpack.

In this Monday, June 3, 2019 photo, a house and pickup truck are submerged in floodwaters as the Missouri River continues to rise in McBaine, Mo. (Kate Seaman/Missourian via AP)
In this Monday, June 3, 2019 photo, a house and pickup truck are submerged in floodwaters as the Missouri River continues to rise in McBaine, Mo. (Kate Seaman/Missourian via AP)Read moreKate Seaman / AP
    by Associated Press, The Associated Press
    Published 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water being released into the lower Missouri River from upstream dams will remain at a high level for several months because of recent heavy rain and remaining snowpack.

The Army Corps of Engineers says it expects water releases from reservoirs on the Missouri to be above average through the summer and possibly until November.

The Corps says that for now it's maintaining the amount of water that's being released from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border at 75,000 cubic feet (2,124 cubic meters) per second. The Corps' John Remus says that's more than twice the average release of water for this time of year.

That may worsen flooding downstream, where many levees have been damaged due to recent high water.