BOISE, Idaho -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District expects flood risk management releases from Lucky Peak Dam will begin later this month or early April.
Snowpack in the Boise River basin as of March 7 is 102% of median, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Boise River reservoir system, which includes Anderson Ranch Dam, Arrowrock Dam and Lucky Peak Dam, is currently 72% full.
Releases from Lucky Peak Dam are expected to start between mid-March and early-April. The finalized date will depend on future weather and basin conditions. An additional announcement will be issued closer to the start of releases, with additional details regarding target dates and flows.
Releases from Lucky Peak Dam will be managed to provide sufficient space in the reservoir system to capture the peak snowmelt runoff later this spring. A full supply of irrigation water is anticipated this summer.
Officials advise the public to be aware of risks associated with increased Boise River flows. The water is deep, cold and fast. Caution should be used near the river banks. For real-time Boise River flows at USACE and Reclamation facilities, visit https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/boise.html.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation operate three dams on the Boise River as a system to manage flood control and irrigation storage needs — Lucky Peak Dam, Arrowrock Dam and Anderson Ranch Dam. Storage capacity provided by Reclamation’s Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch dams, and the USACE Lucky Peak Dam, combined with well-planned water releases, help manage Boise River flows through the city of Boise.
Release no. 24-012