Update: Flooding Officially Over Does That Mean We Might Have a Float Season?
Could we get to see a float season on the Boise River? We've taken a big step to possibly seeing one this year. We told you yesterday that the Boise River flow was dropping to it's lowest level since March...more good news today as flows drop another 500cfs today to bring the flows below 7000cfs for the first time since the first of March and put an official end to the flooding.
The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will decrease flow from Lucky Peak Dam by another 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) today (6/15/17). This is in addition to the 1000cfs drop yesterday. The Boise river is considered to be at flood stage when flows reach 7000cfs. This will be the first time the river has been below flood stage since the early March.
Flows in the city of Boise as measured at the Glenwood Bridge gauge will decrease to approximately 6,750 cfs by Thursday afternoon.
Boise River reservoirs also continue to drop and are at approximately 95 percent of capacity now after being at almost 97 percent last week. Does this mean we're close to getting a float season? No not close, the river would need to be around 1500cfs before we are cleared to tube or raft the river, but at least is does give a glimmer of hope...just don't expect to be tubing or floating till at least the end of July or August if we get to do it at all this year.
Even with the drop in river flows, residents of flood-prone areas in and near the greater-Boise area are encouraged to keep informed of changing river, stream, and weather conditions on the National Weather Service, Boise Office website at http://www.weather.gov/boi/. The site offers flow data, weather forecasts, and flood alerts. Follow flood-response instructions issued by your local emergency management agency http://www.adacounty.id.gov/flood, and tune-in to local radio and television news stations. Ada County residents can sign up for CodeRED emergency alerts at https://public.coderedweb.com/cne/en-US/BF01DC4DD213, or download the CodeRED mobile app from your mobile device’s app store.
For real-time Boise River flows at Reclamation facilities in the Pacific Northwest Region, visit http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/rtindex/boise.html.