AHSAHKA, Idaho – Discharge flows from Dworshak Dam and Reservoir are being increased today, Feb. 7, 2018, beginning at about 4 p.m., from approximately 6,000 c.f.s. (cubic feet per second) to about 12,500 c.f.s. to make room in Dworshak Reservoir to meet seasonal flood-risk-management requirements.
The water surface elevation of the mainstem Clearwater River is expected to increase by about 8-9 inches during this outflow increase, as measured at the U.S.G.S. streamgage located near Peck, Idaho, about 4 miles downstream of Ahsahka. Additional increases may be necessary as conditions change.
For safety, boaters, anglers and other people using waterways both in Dworshak Reservoir and downstream of the dam are advised to be alert to changes in water elevation and volume of flow. Be sure to wear a life jacket whenever you are in, on or near the water. Current water-management conditions can be viewed on the District website at www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nww/rreports.htm.
The Corps works with regional water managers, other agencies and tribes, and fish managers and hatcheries as the Corps reduces flood risk. That includes joint efforts to keep total dissolved gasses (TDG) below the Idaho State maximum threshold, when possible. When water is released from the dam, gasses can be absorbed into the water. High TDG levels can be unhealthy for fish.
“The Corps’ highest priority is public safety, so we will operate to provide flood risk reduction benefits,” Walla Walla District's Senior Water Manager Stephen Hall said. “We’ll continue to monitor river basin conditions, weather forecasts, and impacts on fish. We’ll also continue our efforts working with other agencies to reduce the impact of flood operations on fish.”
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Release no. 18-007