Lake trending toward 2,065'
(Photo courtesy ROGER BRANSCOME)Chop Waterfront Bar & Grill closed due to the high lake level of Lake Pend Oreille after water reached the sandbags guarding the front door.
SANDPOINT — Warmer temperatures and above-average snowpack in the high country are expected to keep the level of Lake Pend Oreille above flood stage through the 10-day forecast period, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The lake’s elevation at Hope was 2,063.9 feet on Friday, which is just above the flood stage of 2,063.5 feet.
“Current forecasts indicate that the peak outflow and lake elevation will occur in the next week, with outflow meeting or exceeding 120 kcfs and lake elevation meeting or exceeding 2064.25 feet. These levels would be comparable to 2011,” the corps said in a flow update.
The Northwest River Forecast Center said the lake level is trending toward reaching nearly 2,065 feet, an elevation that could be reached by May 31 or June 1.
The corps is also warning boaters to be on the lookout for floating or submerged logs, in addition to other debris. The agency closed its beaches and boat ramps, including facilities at Riley Creek in Laclede.
Those facilities will remain closed until further notice.
High flows below Albeni Falls Dam, meanwhile, prompted the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office to prohibit all recreational activities such as swimming and boating on the Pend Oreille River until further notice.
“The river poses extreme danger due to high flows, cold temperatures, and debris such as logs and brush being carried downstream. These dangers can cause injury or death. Hypothermia caused by the runoff can affect those in the river and those who may be accidentally swept away by the current can become life-threatening immediately,” Sheriff Alan Botzheim said in a news release.
The sheriff’s office is advising people to keep a safe distance from the river.
“By this closure the sheriff’s office wants to keep our citizens safe and minimize hazards to first responders who will not be put at risk unnecessarily with this closure,” Botzheim said.
The sheriff’s office is also recommending that those placing sandbags should wear a personal floatation device even their working behind a levy or dike.
Upstream of the dam, Bonner County has extended the 200-foot no-wake zone has been extended to 500 feet while flood conditions persist.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.