Kootenai River / Koocanusa Reservoir / Libby Dam Update – 27 May 2011
by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
May 27, 2011
• Current outflow from Libby Dam is ~16.0 kcfs
• Outflow will increase to ~20.0 kcfs on Friday, 27 May, at 1400 MDT. Outflow will then increase to ~23.0 kcfs Saturday, May 28th at 0700 MDT.
• Outflow may be adjusted to meet reservoir elevation targets and/or provide for local flood control. The Corps is regulating discharge from the dam to maintain the Kootenai River at or below flood stage elevation of 1,764 feet at Bonners Ferry. By keeping the river at or near flood stage from now through June, Koocanusa Reservoir will have more space available for late season snowmelt or rain inflows.
• Current Koocanusa Reservoir elevation is 2360.6 feet.
• The reservoir is currently filling at ~3' per day, and this rate is expected to remain close to the same as runoff continues.
The Corps monitors Kootenai River conditions both above and below Libby Dam for flood control issues. The Northwest River Forecast Center updates daily forecasts for short term projections throughout the Kootenai River and Columbia Basins. Links to those projections can be found below:
Forecasts for Libby Dam elevations and inflows can be found here:
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?lid=LYDM8
Forecasts for Libby Dam releases can be found here:
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?lid=KBDM8
Forecasts for Bonners Ferry can be found here:
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?lid=BFEI1
Please note the National Weather Service's disclaimer on forecasts after 3 days, and that forecasts can only be used as guides not the absolute truth as to what will happen.
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