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Reduction in Missouri River flow ahead of schedule

Missouri River flooding between Rulo, Neb. and Waverly, Neb.
(via Flickr/Kansas City District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Susan Abbott )
Missouri River flooding between Rulo, Neb. and Waverly, Neb.

The Army Corps of Engineers says flooding along the Missouri River in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri should end a few days sooner than predicted.

The Corps has been gradually reducing the amount of water being released from the six dams upstream since Aug. 19. Throughout the summer, roughly 160,000 cubic feet of water per second was being released from the dam near Yankton, S.D. creating flooding along the entire lower Missouri River.

The Corps said Wednesday that recent dry weather has been reducing the amount of water flowing into the Missouri and should allow it to hit its fall target of releasing 40,000 cubic feet per second on Sunday. That's four days sooner than previously expected.

Releases of 40,000 cubic feet per second are only slightly above the normal fall rate.