Outlet Dam construction is in full swing this month and during this phase, 100% of the river’s flow is being directed through a man-made flume within the dam.
Officials have announced that Lake Pend Oreille is beginning its annual fall drawdown on Sept. 19 this year. The lake is generally held at a normal pool of 2,062.5 until the third Sunday in September or Sept. 18, whichever is later.
Recent spring rains and late snow have helped the area's watershed, Idaho Lakes Commission officials said recently.
"We need [the rain and snow] to keep the watershed full, the rivers flowing, the groundwater replenished, and so much more," Molly McCahon, Lakes Commission executive director, said in a recent update. "Every year the hydrology in the Pend Oreille Basin varies, but there are some general patterns and dates you can expect, just do not bet the farm on these."