Federal water managers will increase the flow in the Boise River, again, Monday.
Last week, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bumped up the river’s flow by 1,500 cubic feet per second to 1,760. Now they plan to increase the rate of flow again.
Flows will go up Monday through Wednesday to a total of 3,000 cfs.
Officials say the snowpack has gone up and precipitation in the Boise basin has been above average for March. Releasing the water now will help reduce the risk of flooding later this spring. They warn that melting snow, if it’s combined with a heavy rain event, could mean more water will need to be released.
Right now, Boise River reservoirs above the city are at 84 percent of capacity and plenty of water is available for irrigation this year.
The Bureau and the Corps are reminding Boiseans that higher river flows mean deeper, colder and faster water can be dangerous, especially along river banks.
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