News Release from
The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District

Date: May 27, 2011
Contact: Tim Anderson, Public Relations Manager
Phone: (308) 995-8601

New Projections Bring Higher Outflows from Lake McConaughy

(HOLDREGE, Neb.) -- Outflows from Lake McConaughy will increase further this weekend after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased projections for runoff into reservoirs on the North Platte River in Wyoming by approximately 200,000 acre-feet.

Based on the revised projections, outflows from Lake McConaughy will be increased on Sunday, May 29 and on Tuesday, May 31. The higher flows in the North Platte River will begin reaching North Platte by Monday or Tuesday and will continue over several days. Increases will occur in steps of 700 cfs up to a flow at North Platte of approximately 6,000 cfs, a flood stage of 8.0 feet.

Flows could continue to increase to as high as 7,800 cfs over the next several days, which would be a flood stage of approximately 8.5 feet.

Current flows in the North Platte River at North Platte are about 4,650 cfs, with a river stage of about 7.3 feet. Flood stage at North Platte is 6.0 feet.

Whether flows peak at 6,000 cfs or continue to rise is dependent upon changing inflow forecasts, which are affected by uncertainty about how much water the Laramie River in Wyoming (a tributary to the North Platte River) will add to flows moving into Nebraska.

Lake McConaughy's elevation has risen with the increasing inflows to 3262.5 feet above sea level. Releases continue to be less than inflows as Central tries to operate the reservoir in a manner that reduces peak flows downstream as much as possible. Central has permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to fill the reservoir to elevation 3267.0 feet if necessary, which would be two feet above the normal maximum elevation.

Central continues to communicate with officials from the city of North Platte, the National Weather Service, Twin Platte Natural Resources District, the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency, and other entities about the situation and how best to deal with the expected high flows.

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