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News Release Archive
Bureau of Reclamation Reservoir Conditions
Media Contact:
Jack Conner, (406) 247-7300, 05/26/2016 00:00
For Release: May 26, 2016
BILLINGS, Mont. -- According to Steve Davies, Area Manager for Reclamation's Montana Area Office, water levels at most Reclamation-managed reservoirs in eastern Montana are at or above average for this time of year.
"Most boat ramps should be usable at all Reclamation reservoirs east of the Continental Divide during the Memorial Day weekend," Davies said. "As always, we strongly encourage water-based recreationists to check for the most up-to-date water level conditions at Reclamation's website www.usbr.gov/gp/boat/index.html before heading to your favorite reservoir," Davies added.
Current conditions at Reclamation facilities include:
Clark Canyon Reservoir - Inflows to the reservoir are near average for this time of year. The reservoir is about 12 feet below the top of the joint-use pool. Boaters will be able to launch at all locations around Clark Canyon Reservoir.
Canyon Ferry Reservoir - Inflows to Canyon Ferry are near average for this time of year. The reservoir level is about 3 feet below the top of the joint-use pool and releases to the Missouri River are being maintained near 6,600 cubic feet per second (cfs). All boat ramps around Canyon Ferry Reservoir are currently usable, with the exception of Goose Bay. Please check the availability of boat ramp facilities at Goose Bay at www.usbr.gov/gp/mtao/canyonferry/goosebay/index.html.
Gibson Reservoir - Inflows to Gibson Reservoir are below average for this time of year, while the reservoir level above average for this time of year and is at full pool. The boat ramp at Gibson Reservoir is currently usable.
Lake Elwell (Tiber Reservoir) - Inflows to Tiber Reservoir are below average for this time of year. The reservoir level is about 7 feet below the top of the joint-use pool. Releases to the Marias River are currently being maintained near 500 cfs. All boat ramps around Tiber Reservoir are currently usable.
Fresno Reservoir - Inflows to Fresno Reservoir are below average for this time of year. The reservoir level is above average for this time of year at about 0.5 feet above the top of the active conservation pool. Releases to the Milk River are currently near 600 cfs. All boat ramps at Fresno are currently usable.
Nelson Reservoir - Nelson Reservoir is nearly full and the reservoir level is above average for this time of year. Boaters should be able to launch at all locations around Nelson Reservoir.
Bighorn Lake (Yellowtail Dam) - The reservoir level is about 15 feet below the top of the joint-use pool. Releases to the Bighorn River are being maintained above average, near 7,000 cfs, in order to safely store the anticipated spring runoff. Boaters will be able to launch at all locations around Bighorn Lake. For more information regarding recreation activities and boat launching at Bighorn Lake, recreationists are encouraged to contact the National Park Service at 406-666-3218.
Each year hundreds of lives are lost... thousands are injured... and millions of dollars of property damage occurs because of preventable recreational boating accidents on U.S. waterways. Too often pleasure outings turn tragic. You - as a boat operator, passenger, or concerned individual - can make a difference. For more information visit www.uscgboating.org.
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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.
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