News Release Archive

Reclamation to Increase Releases from Jackson Lake Dam

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, 04/08/2011 14:07
Mike Beus, mbeus@usbr.gov

For Release: April 08, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation will increase flows below Jackson Lake Dam by 20 percent each day starting April 9 until around April 19 to make room in the reservoir for snowmelt inflow. Jackson Lake Dam is located on the Snake River North of Jackson, Wyoming.

On the morning of April 9, flows will be at 730 cubic feet per second and are expected to reach 880 cfs later that afternoon. On April 5, flows below the dam began to increase and reached 730 cfs on April 8. As discharges increase 20 percent daily, they will eventually reach about 5,000 cfs around April 19.

Water managers are indicating that continued wet weather may require additional increases after April 19, but the necessity and timing of additional changes is unknown at this time.

Precipitation in the Upper Snake River of Wyoming has been above average since mid-February. The need for the increased flows is due to an additional 1.5 to 4.0 inches of precipitation that fell on the watershed this week.

Jackson Lake currently holds about 662,000 acre feet of water or 78 percent of capacity. Flood control regulations will restrict the lake level to about 547,000 acre feet which is 65 percent of capacity, by May 1.

For additional information, please call Mr. Mike Beus, Water Operations Manager at the Upper Snake Field office at (208) 678-0461, ext. 27. Real-time hydrologic and meteorological information can be found online at: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet.

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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.

Relevant Link:

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet