Des Moines Water Supply

[Cyclone90]

So they're concerned about the water supply, yet the Corps of Engineers continues to let out twice as much water as they're taking in with no change in sight. The corps never seems to take current conditions or forecasts into account. Same as in 2011, but a drought instead of flood this time.

DROUGHT DILEMMA: Preparing For Long Term | WHOTV.com

Rock Island Water Control - Saylorville Lake Forecast

 

[cstrunk]

So they're concerned about the water supply, yet the Corps of Engineers continues to let out twice as much water as they're taking in with no change in sight. The corps never seems to take current conditions or forecasts into account. Same as in 2011, but a drought instead of flood this time.

DROUGHT DILEMMA: Preparing For Long Term | WHOTV.com

Rock Island Water Control - Saylorville Lake Forecast

They are letting twice the amount out of the lake as is coming in so that the river downstream (aka Des Moines) has enough supply so you can have something to water your pretty lawn or wash your new car with.

If they start cutting back on the flow out of the lake they will have to start implementing water conservation in Des Moines.

What would you have them do? Sounds like you are one of those people who thinks the Army Corps of Engineers are nothing but a bunch of idiots who have no idea what they are doing.

 

[Cyclone90]

The Corps bases their outflow on two factors 1) the calendar and 2) the pool elevation. Nothing about current conditions or the forecast.

Take a look at lake inflow via Stratford upstream as we're in a drought and are entering the dry season. Difficult to recharge at this point. We'll be well into record low flows by October and/or November without a pattern change. Why not save some water for our 2013 water supply?

http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/wwapps/duration.php?sno=05481300&yr=2012&dt=dv01d
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[DurangoCy]

I have it on good authority that one of the Corp's Engineers dropped an expensive pair of sunglasses in the lake last summer and this might be his best chance of getting them back. It sounds like they only need to expose a couple more feet of mud and then the water conservation efforts will commence.