The diversion of floodwaters into the U.S. interior floodway at Anzalduas Dam in the Rio Grande Valley is likely to end later this week, the International Boundary and Water Commission has announced.
The reason for this, IBWC spokeswoman Sally Spener said, is that the agency continues to make gradual reductions in the release of floodwaters from Falcon Dam.
Releases from Falcon Dam declined over the weekend to 18,000 cubic feet per second (500 cubic meters per second) and will continue to be reduced to 8,500 cubic feet per second (240 cubic meters per second) by Tuesday morning, Spener said.
The IBWC has been making diversions into the U.S. floodway system, which includes the Banker Floodway, Main Floodway, North Floodway, and Arroyo Colorado in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties since July 8.
The IBWC continues to monitor inflows and reservoir elevation at Falcon Dam and additional reductions in releases are possible in the coming days, Spener said. The reservoir is still experiencing above-average inflow but storage has dropped to just below normal conservation capacity, she explained.
The water level at Falcon Reservoir reached its highest level ever in mid-July, surpassing the 308.1 feet above mean sea level (93.910 meters) record established on October 19, 1958.
The IBWC also said it would reduce the release of floodwaters from Amistad Dam, from 8,500 cubic feet per second (240 cubic meters per second) to 6,400 cubic feet per second (180 cubic meters per second) by Tuesday morning. Amistad Reservoir remains slightly above normal conservation capacity, Spener said.