The Bureau of Reclamation released the Missouri River Headwaters Basin Study that provides options to meet the increased water demand and a change in the timing of the snowmelt runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Fort Peck Reservoir.
The Bureau of Reclamation released the Missouri River Headwaters Basin Study that provides options to meet the increased water demand and a change in the timing of the snowmelt runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Fort Peck Reservoir. The basin covers about 50,000 square miles and is the primary water source for 320,000 people and about 1.1 million acres of irrigated lands.
"In a large basin such as the Missouri, there are many challenges to consider in planning for a sustainable future," Chief Engineer David Raff said. "The basin study provides the foundation for the stakeholders and Reclamation to work together and improve drought resiliency."
The study identified challenges facing Upper Missouri Basin's water supply. Key challenges include:
- Increasing annual water supply compared to recent history.
- Shifting earlier peak snowpack will lead to an earlier snowmelt-driven runoff.
- Changing runoff may lead to more flooding during the winter and spring seasons and water supply shortages later in the irrigation season.
- Increasing water demand due to a warming climate, expanded irrigation and population growth.
- Decreasing rain in the summer, increasing the reliance on reservoir storage.
Read more at Bureau of Reclamation
Image: Canyon Ferry Reservoir, part of the Upper Missouri River Basin. (Credit: Bureau of Reclamation)
