News Release Archive

Reclamation to Increase Releases from Jackson Lake and Palisades Dams Today

Media Contact: David Walsh, (208) 378-5026
Art Hill

For Release: June 07, 2010

Bureau of Reclamation water managers will increase water releases from two dams in the Upper Snake River basin today:

* Jackson Lake Dam, near Jackson, Wyoming, will increase from 8,000 cubic feet per second to 10,000 cfs

* Palisades Dam, Palisades, Idaho, will increase from 10,000 cubic feet per second to 11,000 cfs

Reclamation advises that water release rates are subject to change as water managers work to stay ahead of changing weather and reservoir conditions during flood control operations.

Presently, Jackson Lake Dam is over 98 percent full and taking in more than 16,000 cfs due to rainfall on melting snowpack conditions in the Upper Snake River basin.

"The snowpack above Jackson Lake is showing more than 48 percent water saturation - that means the rain that would normally get absorbed by the snow is now running off very quickly," explains Art Hill, hydrologist for Reclamation's Snake River Area Office. "We're filling faster than expected."

Residents along the Snake River drainage below Jackson Lake Dam should be alert for localized flooding downstream. At Palisades Dam the Snake River will approach bank full condition.

At both Palisades and Jackson Lake dams, boaters, anglers and other river recreationists are advised to anticipate higher flows.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.