Palisades Reservoir at 59 percent capacity
By News Release on Jun 20, 2008 in Alpine, News, Star Valley Ranch
It’s been a long time since Palisades Reservoir has been at its full capacity. Currently, the popular recreational reservoir sits at only 59 percent. People around the area all seem to have the same question, why hasn’t the reservoir been filling up this year?
Weather conditions for the area have aided in the slowing of melting snow, so the reservoir has not filled up as rapidly as usual this year.
“We’re still expecting it to fill,” said Mike Beaus, Snake River Bureau of Reclamation Office Water Operations Manager. Apparently, there is still a lot of snow that is expected to start rapidly melting within the next couple of weeks. The Idaho Bureau of Reclamation expects the reservoir to fill over the next few weeks and is hoping for a near-full season.”
The last time that Palisades was at its full capacity was in June of 2000, so a near-full season this year will have made progress to perhaps a full capacity season next year if plenty of snow falls this coming winter.
If the Bureau of Reclamation is correct in their assumption, it will be a happy day for all of those fishing, camping, and boating recreation lovers that enjoy the scenic area of Palisades Reservoir.
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Steve Willford | Jun 25, 2011 | Reply
In late May I sent an email to Mr Beaus expressing my concern about the low level of Palisades. Earlier this year, about February, the level of the lake was higher than it is now. In anticipation of the high run-off, the discharge flow was increased dramatically and the level was dropped to about 10%. The flow from the reservoir has remained high. With the amount of snow in the hills this past winter, there is no reason Palisades should not be filled to capacity, except poor management of the Snake River Bureau of Reclamation Office.