Fluctuating Lake Levels Raise Concerns
BPA wants to raise and lower Lake Pend Oreille several times this winter.
Albeni Falls Dam
Some Idaho officials are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to lower and raise the level of Lake Pend Oreille multiple times this winter.
But it's unknown whether fluctuating lake levels between 2,051 and 2,055 feet to generate power downstream will pollute the lake with sediment, spread weeds like flowering rush, and create other problems for the already challenged ecosystem, not to mention damage docks all around the lake.
The Corps operates the Albeni Falls Dam, which controls the lake level.
The Pend Oreille Basin Commission listed a host of concerns in a recent letter to the Columbia Basin Technical Management Team. This group makes recommendations to the Corps on lake levels as they relate to fisheries management.
The Corps should conduct a study and take public comment before experimenting with lake levels. The agency should determine whether it's a good idea or not.
Our one chance to speak out for a more cautious approach is during a public meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 8, in the Sandpoint High School auditorium.
