Test releases from Fort Peck to assess the potential benefits of alternative management scenarios for the pallid sturgeon will begin on April 26.  The test includes two higher Fort Peck release periods, in late April and June, with target flows at Wolf Point, Montana.  The Fort Peck releases will be adjusted depending on the runoff and reach conditions downstream of Fort Peck during this period. The test will likely require spillway releases from Fort Peck. As you can see on the 3-week regulated forecast sheet generated on April 10th, the peak release below the Fort Peck dam will reach 17,500 cubic feet per second (CFS). 12,500 cfs will come through the power plant and the remaining 5000 cfs will be generated through the spillway.

The projected drawdown on the Fort Peck Water Elevation will be from a high of 2231.7 feet on April 23rd  to 2231.1 on May 3rd and continue to be lower throughout the summer.  The target flows will be based at Wolf Point because of this the release amount out of the Fort Peck dam will also be adjusted based on the flow of the Milk River. A higher flow out of the Milk River will result in less flow released from the Fort Peck Dam. You can also view the yearly water level projections from the corp for Fort Peck based on three different precipitation assumptions below.
Once the test run-off begins on April 26th there will be weekly updates from the Corp on the amount of water that will be released from Fort Peck Dam and we will have those for right here on montanaoutdoor.com.