Pipestem2Jamestown (CSi)  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that the drawdown of Pipestem Dam will take longer, and releases from Jamestown Dam will be stepped up.

Pipestem Dam Manger, Bob Martin says that’s in light of higher than average rainfall this summer.

He says releases from Jamestown Dam were increased on Tuesday from 13 cfs, to 50 cfs. The release  will be sustained  until the Jamestown Reservoir level is reduced by three feet to 1,428 feet before winter freeze-up.

The water level at Jamestown Dam increased about 1 foot in the last week.

The level at Pipestem Dam has increased by about eight inches since Thursday because of  heavy rains last Sunday in parts of northeast Stutsman County with about four and a half inches reported.

The Pipestem Reservoir level is about 14 inches above the conservation pool of 1,442.5 feet above sea level.

The conservation pool is the desired level of the lake at freeze-up in the fall.

The  release from Pipestem will continue until conservation pool is reached instead of the projected September first date and is currently at 80- cfs, for a combined release through the Jamestown River below the dams at 130 cfs.