BUTTE, Mont. (NMB) – Northwestern Energy has announced that water releases from Hebgen Dam will be reduced through April 24th to the Madison River in order to capture more water in Hebgen Reservoir.
The company says this is due to persistent drought conditions, low soil moisture and low snowpack that are contributing to a forecast of continued low water levels at Hebgen Reservoir this season.
River recreationists should be aware of the lower flows and use caution. The public is asked to avoid walking on any Rainbow Trout spawning redds during this low flow period.
Upper Madison River flows may be reduced to 550 cubic feet per second at the Kirby U.S. Geological Survey gage and to 950 cfs below Madison Dam at the McAllister U.S. Geological Survey gage.
Reservoir is currently at an elevation of 6,524.6 feet, which is 10.3 feet from full pool. Inflows into Hebgen throughout the winter have been 79% of normal, while snowpack in the Madison River Basin is at 76% of normal levels and precipitation for the water year that began Oct. 1, 2021 is at 89% of normal levels.
Information from Northwestern Energy
