News Release Archive

Discharges decreasing downstream of Minidoka and Milner dams on the Snake River

Media Contact: Edna Rey-Vizgirdas , (208) 378-5212, ereyvizgirdas@usbr.gov
Corey Loveland , cloveland@usbr.gov

For Release: May 16, 2017

HEYBURN, Idaho – Snake River flows below Minidoka and Milner dams will be decreasing from today through Thursday, May 18, to end flow passing Milner Dam. By late Thursday, only flows necessary to meet irrigation demand below Minidoka Dam will be released from Minidoka Dam, and the flow passing Milner Dam will be at or near zero. These decreases in outflow are necessary to continue the fill of the Upper Snake River storage system.

People recreating below Milner Dam and viewing Shoshone Falls can expect river levels to decrease to near zero flow passing Milner Dam starting Thursday afternoon. Safety precautions should be taken as flows decrease in the river reach below Milner Dam. Flow passing Shoshone Falls is expected to continue through Friday, May 19, and possibly into Saturday.

Current river and reservoir data are available at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/uppersnake/. For more information regarding Reclamation programs, please visit Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Region website at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/.

The dams operated by Reclamation’s Upper Snake Field Office are located on the Snake River in southcentral Idaho.

# # #

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.