Winchester Lake Dam maintenance may affect water levels

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will be conducting maintenance on Winchester Lake Dam, which may affect water levels on Winchester Lake during the 2016 spring and/or summer. This maintenance is necessary to repair a leak within the dam; however, there is no eminent danger to the structure of the dam. For this reason, the water level of the lake will be kept at or below the base of the spillway until the leak is fixed. This is about three feet lower than normal water levels of prior years. Fish and Game must lower the reservoir an additional five feet sometime this spring to assess the significance of the leak and determine what it will take to repair it. This lower level may cause fishing docks and the boat ramp to be out of the water. The severity of the leak and the extent of action needed to repair the dam will determine water levels for the remainder of the 2016 season. Fish and Game is hopeful that investigations and repair will occur in a timeframe that allows for capture of any remaining runoff to refill the reservoir as much as possible for the 2016 season. However, if extensive damage to the Dam is found, it may require additional time for Fish and Game to secure funding for repair work. If the repair is delayed, water levels will remain below the spillway level and may drop through the summer depending on inflow. Fish and Game and Winchester Lake State Park realize this may cause some hardships for users of Winchester Lake, but the safety of Winchester Lake Dam is of paramount importance and these repairs are necessary to keep this popular fishing area viable for years to come. For more information, contact: Joe DuPont - Clearwater Region Fishery Manager, IDFG (208) 799-5010 joe.dupont@idfg.idaho.gov or Steve Kuskie - Asst. Manager, Winchester Lake State Park, IDPR (208) 924-7563 steve.kuskie@idpr.idaho.gov