BOISE, Idaho – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to discharge water Saturday and Sunday through Lucky Peak Lake's outlet structure (located adjacent to the powerhouse) to create the classic “Rooster Tail,” historically one of the area’s popular attractions.
“We have a display time coordinated with Lucky Peak Power Plant’s (LPPP) Generation Supervisor Tom Nelson,” said Joyce Dunning, the Corps’ Operations Manager at Lucky Peak Lake. “The rooster tail is a truly unique and unusual attraction.”
The eight-hour-long displays are scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8.
The water used to create the displays comes from required release amounts that exceed what can be used for power generation, Dunning added. The “rooster tail” discharge comes through the dam’s outlet slide gates, nicknamed “flip buckets,” which dissipate the quick moving water's energy by sending it dozens of feet into the air, creating an arch of spray into the Boise River. With the exception of routine testing, the outlet has not been operated for display since May of last year. Depending on lake surface elevations, the Rooster Tail has been observed reaching heights up to 150 feet.
The “rooster tail” display typically attracts a large viewing audience. Traffic congestion and delays are expected. To reduce parking challenges and make the display more accessible for all ages, Lucky Peak Dam and Lake staff established a new driving route offering the public different views of the Rooster Tail from the comfort of their own vehicles.
“I’m pretty excited this year about the new driving route, and I think people will really like it. We’re getting people up close through areas generally closed to the public, and this also makes it easier to get grandparents and others out for the afternoon that may not be up for a longer park-and-walk or dealing with the weather,” said Natural Resources Manager Keith Hyde. This free driving route begins by crossing Lucky Peak Dam, then descends the dam getting close to the Rooster Tail using a graveled service road before exiting through the powerhouse. Hyde asks participants to drive slowly and remain in their vehicles along the route.
Parking is available near the end of the driving route at Sandy Point State Park or Discovery State Park, operated by Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, where a $5 entrance fee is collected. Free parking is extremely limited. Parking will not be allowed along Highway 21, along the access road to Sandy Point, nor the road across the dam.
To get there from Boise, travel east on Interstate 84 for about 2 miles, take the State Highway 21/Gowen Road exit (Exit 57), and follow Gowen Road/ Highway 21 east for 7.5 miles, passing Sandy Point, and follow event signs to cross Lucky Peak Dam.
A fact sheet about the Rooster Tail is available on the Web at www.nww.usace.army.mil/html/offices/pa/FactSheets/FSRoosterTail.pdf
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