BILLINGS, Mont. – Projected water levels and releases at most Reclamation-managed reservoirs in eastern Montana will be near average this Memorial Day weekend.
“Early runoff has been refilling reservoir levels at most facilities,” said Ryan Newman, Montana Area Office Manager.
Most of the boat ramps at Reclamation reservoirs east of the Continental Divide will be usable during the Memorial Day weekend.
“We encourage water-based recreationists to check for the most up-to-date water level conditions at Reclamation’s website https://www.usbr.gov/gp/boat/index.html before heading to your favorite reservoir,” Newman said. “We hope visitors at our reservoirs have a good time while prioritizing safety over the holiday weekend.”
Current conditions at Reclamation facilities include:
- Clark Canyon Reservoir – All boat ramps are usable. Storage is near peak level for the year and is currently 6 feet below normal full pool level. The reservoir is expected to draft throughout the summer as releases are being made to meet irrigation demands.
- Canyon Ferry Reservoir – All boat ramps are currently useable. The reservoir level is 7 feet below the top of normal full pool and minimum releases to the Missouri River below Holter Dam are near 5,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to control storage levels in Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The reservoir is expected to fill in June.
- Gibson Reservoir – The boat ramp at Gibson Reservoir is usable for Memorial Day weekend. Gibson Reservoir is 15 feet below normal full pool and is expected to fill.
- Lake Elwell (Tiber Reservoir) – Boaters can launch at some boat ramps. Willow Creek, South Bootlegger, and North Bootlegger ramps are not recommended at this time. The reservoir level is about 11 feet below normal full pool. The reservoir is not expected to fill to full pool level this summer. Releases to the Marias River are currently near 400 cfs.
- Fresno Reservoir – All boat ramps at Fresno Reservoir are currently usable. The reservoir level is well below normal pool and is expected to draft through mid-July. Releases to the Milk River will be near 800 cfs to meet irrigation demands.
- Nelson Reservoir – Boaters should be able to launch at all locations around Nelson Reservoir. Nelson Reservoir is approximately 4 feet below full pool which is average for this time of year and is expected to draft throughout the summer.
- Bighorn Lake (Yellowtail Dam) – All boat ramps at Bighorn Lake are maintained by National Park Service. The reservoir level is about 12 feet below normal full pool, which is above average for this time of year. The reservoir is expected to fill to full pool levels this summer. Releases to the Bighorn River are currently 3,500 cfs. More information can be found at the National Park Service’s website https://www.nps.gov/bica/index.htm.
Each year hundreds of lives are lost, thousands are injured, and millions of dollars of property damage occurs because of preventable recreational boating accidents on U.S. waterways. Too often recreation outings turn tragic. You — as a boat operator, passenger, or concerned individual — can make a difference. For more information about boating safety visit www.uscgboating.org.
