Libby Dam flow increased

May 1, 2013

Current Koocanusa Reservoir elevation is 2403.0 feet.
Current Koocanusa Reservoir inflow is ~13 kcfs.
Current Libby Dam outflow is 13 kcfs.

Between 9 and 11 a.m. today (MST), discharge from Libby Dam increased from nine kcfs to 13 kcfs. The current discharge of 13 kcfs will be held throughout the day today and tomorrow.

On April 29, the Army Corps NW Division Hydrologic Engineering Branch declared that the Start of Refill for Libby Dam would begin on May 1.

The April 2013 April-August water supply forecast for Libby Dam was 6189 KAF (thousand acre-feet), which is ~105% of the 30-year average from 1980-2010. The May 2013 April-August inflow forecast is expected to increase by 200 - 300 KAF.

VarQ flow is currently ~17.5 kcfs, but will be recalculated when a new water supply forecast is issued later this week.

To avoid drafting the reservoir during refill, the dam will continue passing inflow up to the VarQ flow. We expect inflow to exceed VarQ flow early next week, after which time releases will be held at the VarQ level until the annual sturgeon flow augmentation operation begins.