PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- While the level of the Oahe and other reservoirs on the Missouri River main stem system are low, the system is roughly only half-empty compared to the record all-time minimum low in 2007.  John Remus, Chief of the Missouri River Water Management Division of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers says drought conditions would need to continue to get to 2007 lows.

The historic low for system storage in 2007 was 33-point-nine million acre feet.  Current system storage is at 51-point-three million acre feet or 17-point-four million acre feet above the 2007 all-time low.  Lake Oahe’s 2007 low elevation level was 1570-point-three.  It currently sits at 1598-point-two or 28 feet above the all-time 2007 low mark.