News Release Archive

Boise River Flows Set to Increase Today

Media Contact: Annette Ross, (208) 378-5322, 02/22/2017 08:27
Gina Baltrusch , gina.c.baltrusch@usace.army.mil

For Release: February 22, 2017

BOISE, Idaho – The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to increase flows from Lucky Peak Dam beginning today due to above-normal winter precipitation in the Boise River drainage.

Flows through the City of Boise will increase from the current flow of 3,750 cubic-feet-per-second to approximately 4,750 cfs on today, February 22. Additional increases will continue on Thursday and Friday resulting in a flow of 6,000 cfs on Friday, February 24. These releases will help reduce the risk of flooding later in the spring, which can occur with rapidly melting snow and seasonal precipitation.

Boise River reservoirs are at approximately 60 percent of capacity. More flow increases are possible in the coming weeks, depending on weather conditions.

The public should be aware of the danger associated with these increased flows. The water is deep, cold, and fast, so extreme caution should be used near the river banks, and where lowland flooding can occur.

For real-time Boise River flows at Reclamation facilities in the Pacific Northwest Region visit: https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/boise.html.

The Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation operate three dams on the Boise River as a system to manage flood control and irrigation storage needs — Lucky Peak Dam, Arrowrock Dam and Anderson Ranch Dam. Storage capacity provided by Reclamation’s Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch dams, and the Corps’ Lucky Peak Dam, combined with well-planned water releases, help manage Boise River flows through the city of Boise.

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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:

https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/boise.html