News Release Archive

Reclamation to Draw Black Canyon Reservoir Down for Routine Maintenance, Caution Advised

Media Contact: Annette Ross, (208) 378-5322, aross@usbr.gov
Brent Jensen, jbjensen@usbr.gov

For Release: October 07, 2014

EMMETT, Idaho - The Bureau of Reclamation will begin a drawdown of Black Canyon Reservoir approximately 18 feet to elevation 2,479 feet starting October 11 to perform routine maintenance at the facility. Black Canyon Reservoir is located on the Payette River about five miles northeast of Emmett.

The reservoir will be drawn down by November 12. The drawdown will allow Reclamation work crews to remove debris from the trash racks located on the upstream face of the dam. The Emmett Irrigation District will take advantage of the reservoir drawdown to perform maintenance activities at its pump station located at the north end of the dam. These maintenance activities are expected to take several days, after which normal reservoir operations will resume.

"People in the area are advised to exercise caution along the riverbank as the reservoir recedes and more of the shoreline is exposed," said Brent Jensen, Powerplant Maintenance Supervisor II. "The exposed banks and delta area will be unstable and should be avoided."

For more information on the drawdown, please contact Brent Jensen at 208-365-2600, ext. 18.

Black Canyon Diversion Dam, completed in 1924, is a multipurpose facility that provides irrigation water and hydropower.

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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.