Heavy rains of three to five inches, or more, across the Missouri River basin over the last week saturated the area and increased flooding along the river. Add to that, another three to five inches of rain is expected over the next week and the already swollen river will continue to rise.
Lisa Holts of the National Weather Service says the bulk of the runoff will move down river over the next couple weeks.
The US Army Corps of Engineers increased water releases from Gavins Point Dam at Yankton to 60,000 cfs yesterday (Thurs.).
Chief of the Corps Missouri River Basin Water Management Division John Remus says they had to increase the discharge going downstream following rains in the Missouri River Basin in Nebraska and South Dakota.
The Corps says releases will remain higher than average into the fall because the reservoirs have to be at the base of the annual flood control pool by the beginning of the 2020 runoff season.
