After a week of releasing 4,000 cfs the Corps of Engineers has reduced the lake’s outflow to “low flow” due to flooding downstream in Missouri.

As of Monday the lake’s elevation was normal at 1144.61 ft, heavy rains over the past couple of weeks had pushed the lake five feet high at one point.

RJ Harms, Corps of Engineers Project Operations Manager at Milford Lake explained that they are still hoping to make additional releases in the near future in order to get them to their winter goal of a few feet below normal. By reducing the lake’s elevation during the winter it helps prevent any damage to docks and shore lines due to ice and wind.

“We want to get the water off the shoreline and away from grass, and it kind of helps the marina’s a little bit, when we’re a little bit lower, when they do get iced in like that. It just kind of settles them in and maybe eliminate or reduce some of their wind damage, that might get us,” said Harms.

It’s unclear when they may be able to begin making releases again, but Harms hopes it is before the lake has a chance to freeze over with temperatures forecasted to be below freezing throughout this week.