Lower summer Koocanusa Reservoir levels expected
by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Libby Dam
June 25, 2010
LIBBY - Water managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently issued a water supply forecast for the Kootenai River Basin that predicts Koocanusa Reservoir elevation will not fill within five feet of the top of the reservoir Full pool is 2,459 feet above mean sea level. Though current forecast projections have Libby Dam reaching a maximum elevation of 2,442.2 feet, it is more likely that the maximum reservoir elevation will be 2,430 ft(29 feet from full pool) or lower. The maximum peak elevation is expected to occur in early to mid-August.
The June 2010 April-August inflow forecast for Koocanusa Reservoir was 70 percent of average. During dry water years, the Corps analyzes and adapts to changing hydrologic project conditions and makes operational decisions based on the best available water supply forecast and inflow forecasts. Corps water managers prioritize public safety and flood risk management while balancing upstream and downstream stakeholder interests, and providing resident and downstream anadromous fish species with additional flow.
Koocanusa Reservoir provides a variety of recreation opportunities for the public, in addition to providing local communities and the Columbia River system flood risk management, hydropower generation, navigation, and fish and wildlife benefits The US Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and private interests all have recreation sites available for public use. The US Forest Service maintains a Koocanusa Reservoir Web site on "Lake Recreation Sites Minimum Usable Elevations" at
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai/recreation/activitiesx/watersports/reservoir.shtml.
More information about Libby Dam 2010 operations is also available on the Corps' Web at http://go.usa.gov/3py. A recorded information line on current lake levels and discharges is available at 406-293-3421. For more information on Libby Dam operations, contact Natural Resource Manager Kirsten Kaiser at 406-293-7751 Ext. 251 or Mick Shea, project operation manager at 406-293-7751Ext. 211.
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