NOW: Ice Jam Forming on the Missouri River in Bismarck/Mandan Area

...ICE JAM FORMING ON MISSOURI RIVER... 

Warm weather last week caused the loss of the ice on the Missouri 
River through the Bismarck and Mandan area. However, colder weather 
along with snow earlier this week has created sufficient ice moving 
downstream to once again fill in the river channel.

As of Wednesday morning, ice has been collecting in the Fox Island 
area and restricting flow on the Missouri River. Water has been 
backing up on the Fox Island boat ramp parking lot. As ice continues 
to collect, increasingly higher water will move northward through 
the Bismarck and Mandan reach of the Missouri River.

The river stage at the onset of this ice jam was 9.6 ft as measured 
at the Bismarck gage on the Missouri River. Water levels due to ice 
jams are difficult to predict, but given the starting water 
elevation, an eventual stage of at least 12.5 ft at the Bismarck 
gage is not unreasonable to expect.

If you observe problematic high water, please report your 
observations to your local emergency management office.