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- Boise River Flows Will Double Due To Rapid Snowmelt
News Release Archive
Boise River Flows Will Double Due To Rapid Snowmelt
Media Contact:
John Redding, (208) 378-5212, jredding@pn.usbr.gov
Brian Sauer, bsauer@pn.usbr.gov
For Release: June 09, 2006
The Boise River may see a rapid change in flows over the next 24 hours, nearly doubling the volume of water into the system due to melting snowpack that is quickly filling reservoirs, according to the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Boise River flows will jump significantly from 3,500 cubic feet per second up to 6,800 cfs at the Glenwood Bridge gauging station on June 9. Areas along the Boise Greenbelt that dried out recently will likely see flooding once again as water is released from reservoirs to make room for the melting snow.
The public is being advised to avoid areas near or around the Boise River while this increase takes place over the next week. Maximum flows through Boise this spring were above the flood stage flow of 7,000 cfs for several weeks.
"The combination of warmer weather and rainfall are causing mountain snow to melt rapidly and fill the reservoirs on the Boise River system," said Brian Sauer, Reclamation hydraulic engineer. "As the reservoirs approach storage capacity, it is necessary to increase releases into the Boise River in order to ensure the continued safe operation of the dams."
The water is deep, velocities are high, and water temperatures are still quite cold. An added danger is debris accumulation along the river and possible stream bank erosion in some locations.
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