Corps continues Mississippi River Headwaters drawdowns at its reservoirs

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, continues drawing down its Mississippi River Headwaters reservoirs in preparation for spring runoff. 

The Corps’ six reservoirs – Leech Lake, near Federal Dam, Minnesota; Winnibigoshish Lake, near Deer River, Minnesota; Pokegama Lake, near Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Big Sandy Lake, near McGregor, Minnesota; Cross Lake Recreation Area; near Crosslake, Minnesota; and Gull Lake Recreation Area, near Brainerd, Minnesota – are all operated by the Corps to maximize the environmental benefits and reduce the risk of flooding in the region. 

The Corps of Engineers continues a normal drawdown at Big Sandy Lake and Pokegama Lake and are at least 70 percent complete at both locations. The drawdown rates have been reduced at the other four reservoirs due to a lack of snow within the region. Corps personnel are monitoring conditions on the ground and continue to coordinate with the National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey to share information relevant to any potential flood risk. 

The nearly 650 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 2014 $100 million budget, nearly 1,600 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $155 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

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