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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The drawdown of Lake Ashtabula to an elevation of 1257 is underway as 500 cubic feet per second is flowing out of the lake and into the Sheyenne River according to Bald Hill Dam Resource Manager Rich Schueneman.

He said the latest upper Sheyenne basin survey shows there’s about 2 to 3 inches moisture content or water in the current snow pack.

Normal summer pool elevation at Lake Ashtabula is 1266. Schueneman said according to the National Weather Service there’s a 50 percent chance the Sheyenne River in Valley City will reach 11.6 feet. He said there’s a 25 percent chance the river will reach 12.3 feet which is the equivalent of 2,600 cubic feet per second release from Bald Hill Dam.

The most recent flood outlook from the National Weather Service said there was a low chance of major flooding along the Sheyenne River. The next flood forecast will be released on March 21. And Schueneman will provide another weekly update to newsdakota.com on March 22.