Forecast suggests rapid increase to Kootenai River flows

Cooler than normal temperatures combined with above normal rain and snow is creating a situation where significantly higher than normal Kootenai River flows are more likely in the coming weeks.

Public information meetings for Libby Dam operations are scheduled at 7 p.m.,  May 9 at the Kootenai River Inn.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast is for cooler than normal temperatures through June with continued higher than normal precipitation through May.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has created water storage space for greaterthan normal inflows by drafting the Koocanusa Reservoir down to 2,354 feet in elevation, approximately 100 feet below capacity, on the reservoir side of Libby Dam, Libby, Mont.  

The Corps is targeting a reservoir elevation of 2,348-2,351 feet by the end of April.

Current high-elevation snowpack is 128 percent of normal and lower-elevation snowpack is 153 percent in the Kootenai River basin.  

Generally upper river runoff is regulated by Libby Dam, while lower river runoff is mostly unregulated since it flows into the Kootenai River below the dam.  The Corps' flood risk management operation is to retain as much Kootenai River flow as possible behind Libby Dam while the downstream unregulated tributaries, which are forecasted to flood, pass as much of their spring snowmelt and rain flows as possible.  

It is likely that Kootenai River flows may be at or above flood stage from unregulated tributary flows alone.

Residents and businesses in the river basin should be prepared for potentially swift water rises in a relatively short period of time once snowpack begins to melt.