Priest Lake drawdown is underway

COOLIN — Priest Lake’s water level is inching its way down, according to the Idaho Lakes Commission.

The Idaho Department of Water Resources began letting water out of the lake at the start of the month, although the change was so slight they may not have registered on the lake level gauge, said Lakes Commission coordinator Molly McCahon. Initial flows from Outlet Bay Dam were increased from 126,000 cubic feet per second to 190 cfs. On Oct. 7, discharge flows increased by 140 cfs, resulting in a flow of 330 cfs.

McCahon said discharge flows continued to increase last week, ramping up to approximately 1,400-1,500 cfs, but added that flows may have increases above target flows. The lower lake’s level is expected to decline by 0.1 foot per day.

She said the target is to get the lower lake level near 0.50 feet by the end of the month.

“These lake level drawdown procedures will provide operational data that will be utilized in establishing the discharge/drawdown relationship for reference in future drawdown operations,” McCahon said in an email updating the public the drawdown.

The lake gauge height was between 2.4 and 2.2 feet on Tuesday, according to data on the Idaho Department of Water Resources’ website.

The lake’s discharge 2,000 cfs on Friday, according to provisional data posted to the department’s website.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.