HEYBURN, Idaho - The Bureau of Reclamation will lower the pool elevation at Lake Walcott from September through mid-October to store higher-than-normal flows from American Falls Dam. From mid-October to mid-December, water will be released from American Falls Dam at a rate of 1000 cubic feet per second, an increase from 350 cfs. Flows will return to the normal winter outflow of 350 cfs in late December.
“The higher-than-normal, post-irrigation season releases from American Falls Dam are needed to support the ongoing construction at the American Falls Dam spillway through the rest of the calendar year," said Brian Stevens, Upper Snake Field Office Water Operations manager. “Lake Walcott’s pool elevation will decrease to approximately 7 feet lower than full pool by mid-October, then the pool level will begin to increase closer to full by mid-December when work on the spillway concludes."
During rehabilitation of the American Falls Dam concrete spillway, flows will pass through the Idaho Power Company’s American Falls Power Plant. The spillway rehabilitation project will be paused at the end of 2021. In early 2022, Reclamation will determine if construction will resume in June 2022 or pause until other projects at the facility are completed.
Reclamation is coordinating with Idaho Power Company, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and local water users throughout the construction periods.
Reclamation plans to operate American Falls Reservoir consistent with previous years during the 2021 construction period. Up-to-date water storage conditions at the reservoir as well as information about releases from American Falls Dam, can be found on the project website at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ea/idaho/americanfalls/index.html.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
