Rivers peak from snow, rain

BONNERS FERRY — The Kootenai and Moyie rivers peaked earlier this week after heavy precipitation and a spell of warm weather.

The Moyie River went over flood stage Monday night because of snow melt and extremely heavy precipitation around Eastport. By 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, the river dropped below flood stage, which is nine feet.

Boundary County has placed sandbags at designated locations for people to use to improve protection of their, said Boundary County Incident Commander Bob Graham.

On Tuesday, the surface water was increasing and showing above the terrain said Graham.

“The surface water will continue to get worse until the (Moyie) river drops considerably,” said Graham Tuesday. “The Moyie River will remain high for a week but will be below the peak of this morning.”

The Kootenai River peaked at 1,763.09 feet on Tuesday, less than one foot below flood stage (1,764 feet).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers anticipated Monday’s storm and decreased the amount of water released from Libby Dam to keep Bonners Ferry below flood stage. Changes in flow at the dam take about 12 hours to hit Bonners Ferry, said Graham.

“We hit the peak yesterday and today on the rivers,” said Graham Tuesday. “Both rivers should be coming down unless there is a heavy thunderstorm in the next few days.”

To coincide with the first peak of the Kootenai River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the first pulse of sturgeon flow augmentation Saturday, May 11. High flows will remain for one week to help foster sturgeon spawning.