BOISE, Idaho -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation will increase Boise River flows through the City of Boise starting on March 25. These releases will help reduce the risk of flooding during periods of high snow runoff anticipated later this spring. Officials encourage the public to be aware of risks associated with increased Boise River flows. The water is deep, cold and fast. Individuals should use extreme caution near the riverbanks.
Flows through the City of Boise will increase at a rate no higher than 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) per day from approximately 250 cfs to an initial target of 2,000 cfs by Friday, March 29. Flow through the City of Boise is measured at the Glenwood Bridge United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauge.
Adjustments up or down to flows through the City of Boise are possible during the coming weeks depending upon weather and basin conditions, including the potential for flows to reach the action-stage level of 6,500 cfs. Additional e-mail notifications will be provided for flow adjustments below 6,500 cfs. Please e-mail reservoir.regulation@usace.army.mil to be added to the Boise e-mail notification list. If changing conditions necessitate flows above 6,500 cfs, a news release will be issued.
A flow rate of 7,000 cfs, or about 10 feet in water depth as measured at the Glenwood Bridge USGS gauge, is considered minor flood-stage level on the Boise River according to the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/inundation/index.php?gage=bigi1.
Water management operations through the city also could fluctuate depending on water diversions for irrigation as determined by Idaho Water District Number 63. The public should exercise increased caution and vigilance around water conveyance facilities. A full supply of irrigation water is anticipated this summer.
As of March 18, Snowpack in the Boise River basin is 97% of median, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Boise River reservoir system, which includes Anderson Ranch, Arrowrock, and Lucky Peak Dams, is currently 75% full.
Flow information on the Glenwood Bridge USGS gauge can be followed at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/13206000/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D.
For real-time Boise River flows at Corps and Reclamation facilities, visit https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/boise.html or https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water-Management/
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The 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 Corps’ Lucky Peak Dam, combined with well-planned water releases, help manage Boise River flows through the city of Boise.