Kootenai River To Rise Rapidly

Boaters, anglers and others who use the Kootenai River should be aware of rapidly increasing water levels.

To stimulate spawning of endangered sturgeon, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is releasing more water from behind Libby Dam in Montana. Water was going through the dam’s powerhouses at 4,000 cubic feet per second on Friday when the latest increases began. The flow was expected to peak at 20,000 cfs at midnight Monday.

It takes about 17 hours for the increases to become apparent in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, corps officials said. Combined with water from tributary streams, the river should reach more than 35,000 cfs as it flows through town.

The increased flows, required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will be maintained for 42 days or until sturgeon stop spawning.