14-018 Dworshak to increase discharge Saturday in anticipation of additional inflows

Published March 21, 2014

AHSAHKA, Idaho – Discharge flows from Dworshak Dam will be increased on Saturday from approximately 17,000 c.f.s. (cubic feet per second) to about 20,000 c.f.s. to make room for anticipated inflows resulting from additional rainfall and snowmelt in the Clearwater sub-basin, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water-management officials.

Corps officials advise boaters and other people using regulated waterways to be alert to changes in water elevation and volume of flow. Water-management changes can be pretty dynamic this time of year as weather systems come through the region and temperatures begin to rise.

Managing water levels to reduce flood risk throughout the reservoir system requires constant weather and snow-pack monitoring and making appropriate adjustments to ensure enough storage space is available for rainfall and snowmelt that occurs each spring.

Current water-management conditions can be viewed online at www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nww/rreports.htm -- click on “Hourly” and look in the “TOTAL” column under the “OUTFLOW” heading on the reservoir report. Reservoir elevation is found in the “FOREBAY” column under the “EL AT POWERHOUSE” heading.

During fiscal year 2012, 1.98 billion kW hours of electrical power were produced by Dworshak Dam’s three generating units. Since Dworshak Dam became operational in June 1972, it has prevented about $2.8 million in potential local flood damages.

For more information, please call the Public Affairs Office at 509-527-7020.

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Contact
Public Affairs Office
509-527-7020
cenww-pa@usace.army.mil

Release no. 14-018