Lake Pend Oreille on the rise

April 7, 2021

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced April 1 that Lake Pend Oreille would gradually rise about a foot over the following week, officially marking the start of the lake’s journey to summer pool.

USACE officials shared that outflows at Albeni Falls Dam would decrease, and “planned operation for April is to target a lake elevation of approximately 2,055 feet by the end of the month.”

“The day-to-day rate of refill will vary based on changing inflows to Lake Pend Oreille,” the Corps added.

Dam operations will vary through May and June depending on spring weather events and the melting snowpack making its way into the lake. In a non-flood year, Lake Pend Oreille typically reaches its summer range — 2,062 to 2,062.5 feet — in mid-to-late June. Current water supply forecasts are showing an inflow volume of 88% of average, according to the Corps.

Short-term lake elevation forecasts are tracked by the Northwest River Forecast Center. Lake Pend Oreille is expected to hover between 2,052 and 2,053 feet until April 10, when it will crest the 2,053-foot mark and continue its climb upward.

To track the lake’s pool, which is logged from the Hope gage, visit nwrfc.noaa.gov and click on the icon over Lake Pend Oreille, titled “HOPI1.”