Those managing water flow in the Boise River Basin say they plan to keep the river at its current level for the foreseeable future.
The river is been flowing at roughly 1,800 cubic feet per second at the Glenwood Street bridge in Boise. The flow last week was around 300 cfs and then increased steadily over the weekend.
Snake River Area Office Water Operations Manager Brian Sauer says the outflow at Lucky Peak reached 1,800 cfs for the first time this season at 8 a.m. Monday. Flood level is 7,000 cfs.
The increased flow has made for a noticeable change in the river. Logs and other debris flushed out by the higher water levels were obvious throughout the day Monday.
“That is all that is planned for now, but we [Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers] will be monitoring inflow forecasts throughout the spring and making adjustments as needed,” Sauer said in an email. “Irrigation canals will soon begin to divert water from the river, so more water will be released from Lucky Peak, but little change in the river flows through [Boise].”
On Monday, the outflow from Arrowrock Reservoir to Lucky Peak was about 2,000 cfs.
As of Tuesday morning, the Bureau of Reclamation says Lucky Peak was at 75 percent of capacity. Arrowrock is 87 percent full and Anderson Ranch is 35 percent full.
Copyright 2014 Boise State Public Radio