Water flows through spillway
Floodgates open for third time in history
BY HUNTER L. ANDES
It has only ever happened two times in the history of the Garrison Dam, and on Monday it happened a third time. For the second year in a row, water has flowed through the dam’s floodgates to lower the reservoir’s level.
While Lake Sakakawea has continued to rise in recent weeks, prior to Monday, the scene below the dam was a different story. For the last month, sandbars have a common sight between Washburn and Bismarck.
High lake levels may be concerning for not only people living downstream, but for people living behind the dam, as well. However, Todd Lindquist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ project manager in Riverdale, said the public need not be concerned.
“As of June 15, we are sitting at 1850.65 (mean sea level or msl),” Lindquist said. “We will be at 1851.8 (msl) on June 25, and then go down from there. It will not have any affects to Washburn, and Bismarck will be at 11 feet, one foot below action stage.”
He said that just because the floodgates are being used, it doesn’t mean that people downsteam are going to flood.
“It’s just another means of passing the water,” he said. “There are three means of passing water through Garrison Dam; there are the five hydroelectric turbines, three release tunnels, and the spillway gates. We’re using the spillway because the dam’s intake structure is being worked on. It shouldn’t matter which of the three we are using as long as we stay out of flood stage.”
