BILLINGS, Mont. -- The Bureau of Reclamation's Montana Area Office reports that the Milk River Joint Board of Control, which oversees the irrigation operations for eight Irrigation Districts comprising the Milk River Project, will be ending the 2015 irrigation season near the end of August. While water levels in Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs are above average for this time of year, they are lower than the water levels at this same time last year. Reservoir inflows are below average due to low snowpack conditions this past winter and dry conditions in the basin. This has placed increased demand on the available storage this year. Shutting off irrigation deliveries near the end of August will help to conserve the remaining storage for the 2016 irrigation season. If climate and weather conditions improve during the coming months, reservoir levels may again be full next spring.
Current conditions at Reclamation's Milk River reservoirs include:
Fresno Reservoir - Inflows to Fresno Reservoir are below average for this time of year. The reservoir level is above average for this time of year at about 10 feet below the top of the active conservation pool and approximately 5.0 feet lower than at this time last year.
Nelson Reservoir - Nelson Reservoir is above average for this time of year at about 5.5 feet below the top of active conservation pool and approximately 2.0 feet lower than at this time last year.
For more information on current reservoir operating conditions, visit Reclamation's Montana Area Office website at, www.usbr.gov/gp/mtao/.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
