The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports dry conditions last month resulted in well-below average runoff in the upper Missouri River Basin.
The Corps says April runoff was 1.5 million acre-feet, which is 51% of average.
The updated 2022 upper Basin runoff forecast is 17.8 million-acre-feet, 69% of average, which, if realized, would rank as the 23rd lowest calendar year runoff volume.
“Despite recent snow and rainfall events, 84% of the upper Basin continues to experience abnormally dry conditions. Current drought conditions, dry soils, and below-normal mountain snowpack, resulted in the below-average 2022 calendar year runoff forecast,” said John Remus, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division.
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center indicates increased chances for cooler and wetter-than-normal conditions for most of the Basin for the month of May, potentially providing much needed moisture to the area.
However, long range forecasts for the Summer months indicate warmer and drier-than-normal conditions.
The April report can be found at: https://go.usa.gov/xud2J
(Picture from Getty Images)