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PAUL (NewsDakota.com) A lack of snow and dry conditions this winter translates to a much lower spring flood threat.

Ferris Chamberlin of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers says at Lake Ashtabula, the pool level has been drawn down but he says there’s a question of whether runoff will be enough to bring the lake back to it’s summer operating level of 1266 feet.

Chamberlin says it’s quite a contrast from the past three years when the Corps of Engineers scrambled to balance huge released with massive amounts of water coming down the upper basin of the Sheyenne River.

Valley City Mayor Bob Werkhoven says a break from spring flooding would allow the city to work on flood repairs caused by the flood fights of 2009 and 2011. City Auditor Avis Richter says last year’s flood battle cost an estimated 8 to 9 Million dollars.