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July 24, 2007
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District Release #PA-2007-051
Lack of rain lowers water levels in Headwaters' lakes
SAINT PAUL, MINN. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is
carefully monitoring the water levels on the Headwaters' lakes in northern
Minnesota this week. Unusually warm weather and lack of rain has resulted in
some of the lowest reservoir levels since 1988.
The rainfall amounts in June were one- to two-inches short of the average
amount of precipitation, said Jodi Kormanik-Sonterre, the hydraulic engineer
responsible for the Headwaters' lake reservoirs. "We could be as much as
three inches short of the normal rainfall for the month of July if it
doesn't
rain soon," she said. "Hence, we reduced discharges to the lowest allowable
levels to help stabilize lake elevations."
The Corps of Engineers established summer operating bands for each of the
reservoirs and targets lake levels to be maintained in the middle of the
summer bands. As of July 23, the Headwaters lake levels are lower than
normal
at the following reservoirs by the following amounts:
*
*
*
*
*
Leech Lake, Federal Dam: . . . . . . . -4.8 inches
Sandy Lake, McGregor: . . . . . . . . . -4.6inches
Gull Lake, Brainerd: . . . . . . . . . . . . -3.6 inches
Lake Winnibigoshish, Deer River: -2.3 inches
Pokegama, Grand Rapids . . . . . . . . -1.2 inches
According to National Weather Service forecasts, a minimal amount of rain is
predicted in northern Minnesota for the next five days. Additionally, normal
evaporation lowers the lakes by five to six inches each month.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, serves the American
public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage
reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster
response. It contributes around $163 million to the five-state district
economy. The more than 625 employees work at more than 40 sites in five
upper-Midwest states. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.