Water Resources

Corps' 1988 Missouri River Water Releases Met Guidelines Gao ID: RCED-91-3 November 7, 1990

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined: (1) whether the Corps released Missouri River water during 1988 specifically to aid navigation on the Mississippi River; and (2) the Corps' legal authority to take such action.

GAO found that: (1) the Corps did not increase water releases from the Missouri River to specifically aid navigation on the Mississippi River in 1988; (2) during the Missouri River navigation season, water released from the system provided river flows that generally met or fell below navigation flow targets; (3) the Corps did not increase target levels because of deteriorating river conditions on the Mississippi; (4) Corps records showed that water releases made during the winter and navigation seasons were in accordance with its guidelines; and (5) the Corps lacked the legal authority to operate reservoirs on the Missouri River for the primary benefit of navigation on the Mississippi River.



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