Missouri River Basin — Officials with the US Army Corps of Engineers will cut short the navigation season on the Missouri River this fall due to the continued drought.John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Office, says they’ve been conserving water for months.
Clear signs of the drought first began to emerge in July of 2020, and Remus says one priority is to keep a reserve of water in the upstream reservoirs.
The Corps has cut back releases, dropping Missouri River levels by a full foot, which will impact boat traffic and could affect municipal water supplies and other utilities that rely on the river. Navigation continues on the Missouri, though barges will have to lighten their loads to float. Remus says the navigation season will end November 28th, which is three days early.
