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Department of Idaho
Department of Lake Pend
Oreille Idaho Club Idaho
Legislature Albeni
Falls Dam
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Lake Levels Water quantity is a large factor in the business of the Pend Oreille Basin Commission. Every fall and winter we submit an "System Operating Request" (S.O.R.) to the "Technical Managment Team" (T.M.T) who ultimately decide what level to keep Lake Pend Oreille. This TMT is comprised of representatives from many state and federal agencies, as well as some of the utility companies who operate the dams. In the Pend Oreille basin, the lake level decision comes down to a couple factors. The biggest one relates to the population of spawning female kokanee, a landlocked sockeye salmon that is on the verge of collapse in the Pend Oreille basin. Bull trout are federally listed as endangered, rendering them extra special protection. Because the average bull trout's diet consists of approximately 85 percent kokanee, we are pretty concerned about the kokanee. Higher water in the winter means more spawning habitat for kokanee, but that argument can only be made if enough kokanee spawners are found to warrant extra habitat. This year, a record low number of spawning kokanee were found. Due to that and a few other factors, such as weather predictions, requests from downstream, and high winter levels the last two winters, the lake is down near 2051 feet for the 2006 summer season. Worry
over spring floods drying up Fish
& Game seeking elevated lake level Corps puts brakes on Lake Corps’ reluctance worries Lakes Commission Corps plan concerns Bonners Ferry Corps: plan could hit crops hard Lake will be kept at high winter pool Letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding Albeni Falls Dam Snowpacks remain below average Lake Pend Oreille's water level inching upward
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