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- Lake Walcott Levels Lowered Early Due to Drought, Warning Goes Out to Boaters
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Lake Walcott Levels Lowered Early Due to Drought, Warning Goes Out to Boaters
Media Contact:
John Redding, (208) 383-2207, 09/05/2013 10:24
Mike Beus
For Release: September 05, 2013
HEYBURN, Idaho – The Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Snake Field Office is warning boaters to be cautious as the water level of Lake Walcott is lowered earlier than usual due to drought conditions and short supplies in other system reservoirs. Lake Walcott is impounded by Minidoka Dam on the Snake River about 6 miles south of Minidoka, Idaho.
The lake level will drop a little more than 2 inches per day until it reaches an elevation of 4,240 feet, the week of September 23. This is the typical winter storage level that is not often reached before mid-October.
“We want people to know that boating in Lake Walcott could be dangerous as the reservoir is lowered to meet irrigation demands due to the critically low water season,” said Mike Beus, Reclamation Water Operations Manager. “Launching boats may be difficult and dangerous in shallow water because hazards that are normally submerged may be closer to the surface.”
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation manages boat launch facilities at Lake Walcott State Park which is located within the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge. Boating is not allowed after September 30.
Lake Walcott joins American Falls and Palisades reservoirs which are already critically low and Jackson Lake, Island Park and Ririe reservoirs that are much below average.
For current information on the water level relative to the launch ramp elevation visit http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/ramps/ or call (800) 658-5771.
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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.
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