River levels are dropping along the Missouri River as the US Army Corps of Engineers complies with an order issued by a federal judge in Washington. The Corps has diminished releases from Gavins Point Dam outside Yankton, South Dakota, to 22,800 cubic feet per second and will drop it more. The move is being taken to protect endangered species. It will stop barge traffic on the river and Missouri American Water Company in Jefferson City says it is taking special steps to keep water running in the state’s capital city, because the river will drop below its intake pipes. A spokesman for the company says a more powerful pump is being installed to compensate. The action temporarily halts the legal battle over the river, which is sure to continue through the remainder of the year.
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