As the fifth snow storm in as many weekends worked its way through North Dakota, it meant more work for those clearing driveways and parking lots.

But for the state's two Missouri River reservoirs, it was welcome news.

Downstream, ice bridges in Iowa and Nebraska dropped river stages as much as 4 feet in places, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' January water management report.

Overall, the picture is brighter for Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe going into this coming spring.

"Runoff for 2008 totaled 26.4 million acre-feet," said Larry Cieslik, chief of the water management office in Omaha.

"This is the first year since 1999 with runoff above the normal 24.8 MAF," he said. "The higher inflows, combined with low releases due to good downstream tributary inflow, pushed storage in the reservoirs to 44.8 MAF. It is forecast to total 45 MAF on March 1, 2009."

The corps won't come out with its spring forecast until March 1, but early indications are that the two reservoirs will see a spring rise like they haven't seen in recent years. And that's good news for the lakes from a fishery standpoint.

Phil Brown of the corps' Riverdale office said that as of Friday, snow pack above Garrison was at 102 percent of normal for the mountains and prairie.

Brown said he's cautiously optimistic when it comes to the outlook for the lakes this summer, but it's still too early to jump on the bandwagon.

"We still have three months of winter left," Brown said. "But right now, we're a tad above normal."

As of Friday, Sakakawea stood at a pool level of 1,804.6, he said.

The corps came out with a new annual operating plan in December that includes increased drought conservation measures because the reservoirs are still well below normal.

Oahe reservoir dropped almost a foot in December, ending at elevation 1,592.9 and will rise less than half a foot, ending near elevation 1,593.2 feet - 5.6 feet below its normal elevation. Oahe is now 10.7 feet higher than it was last year at this time.

Sakakawea dropped 1.4 feet in December, ending at elevation 1,824.7. It is expected to fall a foot in January, ending at 1,823.5 feet - 8.7 feet below normal. It is 13.8 feet higher than a year ago at this time.

Fort Peck reservoir fell half a foot in December. The reservoir will climb slightly more than half a foot through January, ending at elevation 2,210.2 feet, 18.1 feet below normal. It is 10.2 feet higher than a year ago.

Brown said the changes in management should result in good conditions for spawning on the two reservoirs this spring. In addition, Brown said a more normal spring rise will help submerge noxious weeds along the shores, which have become a greater area of concern during the drought cycle with more exposed shoreline.

"We should be at a good elevation for spawn," he said. Brown added, with some caution, that Sakakawea could hit an elevation of 1,830 by this summer.

Steady to rising reservoir levels during the spring fish spawn at the three large upper reservoirs are likely if there is normal or above normal runoff, Cieslak said. If that scenario plays out, he said the corps will set releases at Garrison Dam to result in a steady to rising pool during April and May, to the extent reasonably possible.

"The ability to provide such conditions depends on the volume, timing and distribution of the runoff from melting snow on the plains and in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming," he said.

(Reach reporter Brian Gehring at 250-8254 or brian.gehring@;bismarcktribune.com.)