Lake exceeds flood stage, could rise further
(Photo courtesy STEVE HOLDER) Steve Holder captured this aerial view of the flooding of the Pack River and The Idaho Club golf course last week.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) A car carefully makes its way through the water after the Priest River rose up across a private property and flooded across Lower Quartz Creek Road and into Peninsula Road, next to the Green Owl Tavern.
(Photo by MARY MALONE)The Priest River rose up across a private property and flooded across Lower Quartz Creek Road and into Peninsula Road, next to the Green Owl Tavern.
(Photo by MARY MALONE)The Priest River rose up across a private property and flooded across Lower Quartz Creek Road and into Peninsula Road, next to the Green Owl Tavern.
SANDPOINT — The level of Lake Pend Oreille slightly surpassed flood stage on Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Spokane.
The lake’s stage was at 2,063.79 feet on Monday morning. The lake’s flood stage is 2,063.50, which is a foot above the normal pool elevation of 2,062.5 feet.
The Pend Oreille River, meanwhile, is expected to continue to rise to near 2,065.4 feet on Monday morning with additional rises possible.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the level of the lake is forecast to exceed 2,064.5 feet later this week.
At 2,064 feet, minor flooding of driveways and lowlands in the Pack and Clark Fork river valleys near the lake can be expected. Most dock ramps will be under water and portions of Bayview can also be partially flooded at that elevation.
At 2,065.5 feet, flooding of some lakeside homes and docks is likely, a Weather Service flood warning said.
Flows in the Pend Oreille River and elevations on Lake Pend Oreille have the potential to meet or exceed levels during flooding in 2011, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Northwest River Forecast Center said the lake is trending toward an elevation 2,065 feet, which could be reached by Wednesday, May 30.
A flood warning has also been issued for Priest Lake. Bonner County Emergency Management reported that portions of Warren Beach Road, located at the south end of the lake near Coolin, is under water, which is affecting access to several homes.
“Warmer temperatures arriving this week will increase mountain snow melt and will likely lead to continued high waters and flooding in this area,” the Priest Lake warning said.
Outflow from Albeni Falls Dam, which is in free-flow mode, are higher than 95,000 cubic feet per second, which is considered flood flow. The river is forecast to exceed 120,000 cfs later this week, which is considered moderate flood flow, according to NOAA. If the river reaches 130,000 cfs, it will be considered major flood flow.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.