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Hells Canyon River Flows Expected to Decrease this Week by Briefly Section Lewiston Tribune, August 4, 2024

Flows from storage reservoirs in the upper Snake River region --
designed to aid migrating salmon -- are coming to an end for the year.

Hells Canyon river flows expected to decrease this week

River flows in Hells Canyon are expected to decrease as soon as Wednesday, according to a news release from Idaho Power Co.

Flows of the Snake River into Brownlee Reservoir are declining and the company expects to drop flows leaving Hells Canyon Dam to 6,500 cubic feet per second.

According to the news release, flows from storage reservoirs in the upper Snake River region that are designed to aid migrating salmon and steelhead are coming to an end for the year and flows in the river will drop to about 9,000 cfs in response. That is about 1,000 cfs below normal.

A forecasted hot spell is expected to produce increased demand for electricity and the company will conserve water during low-demand periods through the rest of the summer in an effort to meet demand.

Exact flow fluctuations will differ from day to day, according to the news release, but boaters can expect minimum flows as low as 6,500 cfs and peak flow rates potentially as high as 20,000 cfs.