BOISE, Idaho — Starting on Wednesday, April 15, the Army Corps of Engineers will begin "flood risk management releases" from reservoirs in the Boise River system. The releases are expected to increase the flow rate on the Boise River to 1,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) on Wednesday before topping out near 1,500 CFS on Thursday.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, "these releases are necessary to manage space in Lucky Peak and Arrowrock reservoirs, which could reach full capacity by this weekend without action."
As of this writing, the snowpack for the Boise River watershed is currently only 58% of its median for this time of year. However, the reservoirs in the Boise River watershed are currently at 91% of their capacity. The releases are planned to make room for future snowmelt in the reservoirs. Future flows will depend on precipitation events and runoff forecasts.
"Officials anticipate that flood risk management operations may only be needed for a short period. Flows are expected to remain well below the river's channel capacity of 6,500 cfs." - Army Corps of Engineers
The public is advised to exercise caution in and around the Boise River as flows increase.
The elevated flows come on the heels of a wetter-than-average April in Southwest Idaho.
While the recent precipitation helps in terms of the overall water outlook for the Treasure Valley, experts maintain that the region is unlikely to fully recover from the snowpack shortfall from the unseasonably dry, warm winter.
Updated Flows: Boise River at Glenwood Bridge
