Corps of Engineers reaches drawdown levels at Mississippi River Headwaters reservoirs

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, completed the drawdown of the Mississippi River Headwaters reservoirs this week in preparation for potential flooding due to the spring melt.

The Corps’ six reservoirs – Leech Lake, near Federal Dam, Minn.; Winnibigoshish Lake, near Deer River, Minn.; Pokegama Lake, near Grand Rapids, Minn.;  Big Sandy Lake, near McGregor, Minn.; Cross Lake; near Crosslake, Minn.; and Gull Lake, near Brainerd, Minn. – are operated by the Corps to reduce the risk of flooding in the region. The Corps manages these reservoirs in accordance with our operation manuals to reduce the flood risk for the city of Aitkin, Minn.

Once the melt begins, the Corps, along with the National Weather Service, or NWS, will closely monitor the river conditions, ice jams and weather conditions, including rainfall predictions. Further, the Corps is working closely with the NWS and the U.S. Geological Survey to share information relevant to the potential flood risk.

The nearly 700 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2011 $175 million budget, nearly 2,800 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $271 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

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