News Release Archive

Boise River Flows Set to Increase

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, jredding@pn.usbr.gov
Brian Sauer, bsauer@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: May 13, 2008

The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) will be increasing water releases from Lucky Peak Dam and Lake through Thursday to help manage Boise River flows during the spring runoff period.

Flows will increase daily by 1,000 cubic feet per second through Thursday, bringing flows at the Glenwood Bridge between 4,000 to 4,300 cubic feet per second (cfs) by the end of the week.

Reclamation is coordinating flows with the Corps, which owns and operates Lucky Peak. Increasing river flows is necessary to make room in the reservoir system for melting snowpack. Flows at the Glenwood Bridge were 800 cfs on Monday.

Streamflow rates at the Glenwood Bridge gauging station of 1,500 cfs or higher are generally considered unsuitable for river recreation. A flow rate of 7,000 cfs is considered flood-stage level at the Glenwood Bridge gauge.

Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers discourage river recreation at this time because of cold water temperatures, higher flow velocities and brush along the river banks.

Flows in area irrigation canals are also expected to run fast, and higher flows can saturate earthen banks, creating unstable walking surfaces. Water-soaked banks can slough off into the flowing water under the weight of people standing too close to the edge of the canals.

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