BOISE, Idaho — With flows around 2,400 cubic feet per second at the Glenwood Bridge, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation announced it will be reducing Boise River flows Friday.
Officials plan to reduce the flows by 500 cubic feet per second (cfs). Flows through Boise should stay constant this weekend.
Target flow for float season on the Boise River is between 1,250 and 1,500 cfs.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said an adjustment will be made next week, as inflow from the mountains recede. Flood control operations will also come to an end Friday.
Lucky Peak Dam will be filled to its full elevation of 3,055 feet next week for the recreation season. The dam is currently around 3,053 feet and should stay full through mid-August.
Flood-stage level on the Boise River is measured at the Glenwood Bridge gauge. A flow rate of 7,000 cfs - or around 10 feet in water depth - is considered flood-stage level on the river.
USACE said the Boise River water is deep, cold and fast. Use caution when near the riverbanks. River flows may often change as snow melts in the mountains.
During river training and mitigation Tuesday, Boise Fire Division Chief of Special Operations, Paul Roberts, said recreationalists should avoid going out on the Boise River for now.
"For one, the water levels are up pretty high, there's a lot of hazards on the river, there's a lot of debris in the river, and again that water temperature is so cold that even the best of swimmers can run into problems very quickly," Roberts said.
Real-time Boise River flows can be viewed by clicking here.
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