03.01.24

Hoeven Works With Corps to Coordinate Flood Protection Efforts with Governor’s Office, National Guard

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven continues working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to coordinate flood protection efforts with Governor Doug Burgum, North Dakota National Guard officials and other state leaders. Hoeven has been in contact with Corps officials, including Colonel Robert Newbauer, Commander of the Corps Omaha District, and John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division for the Corps, to ensure the Corps is doing all possible to address ice jams and prevent flooding along the Missouri River in the Bismarck-Mandan region.

This morning the reading at the Bismarck gauge shows the water level has dropped to 12.61 feet. The Corps informed Hoeven’s office that they plan to continue reducing releases from the Garrison Dam. Yesterday, the Corps reduced releases to a daily average of 22,000 cfs, today they will reduce releases to 19,000 cfs, and they plan to drop to 17,000 cfs tomorrow and 16,000 cfs on Sunday. Chief Remus told Hoeven that the Corps is reducing flows gradually in order to try and prevent creating additional ice jams.

“We’ve been working with Corps officials to coordinate flood protection efforts with Governor Burgum, our National Guard leaders and other state officials,” said Hoeven. “We’ve been in constant contact with the Corps to ensure they are reducing water flows from the dam in coordination with state efforts, and continue monitoring the water levels along the river. The Corps is again reducing flows from the Garrison Dam today with plans to continue reductions through the weekend. We’ll keep working with them to ensure that we’re doing all possible to prevent flooding.” 

Yesterday, Hoeven pressed Chief Remus to address flooding from the ice jams and emphasized to Remus that the Corps needs to take immediate steps to respond to ice jams that are starting to cause flooding in the area. Since then, the senator has been staying in contact with the Corps to continue monitoring water levels.

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