The Bureau of Reclamation, at the request of, and in collaboration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGF), has scheduled a one-time flushing flow in the Wind River downstream of Boysen Dam, according to Wyoming Area Manager, Carlie Ronca.
“The Bureau of Reclamation is able to retime operations and provide the flushing flow due to the above-average anticipated inflows to Boysen Reservoir, and the expectation of needing to pass excess water this spring,” said Wyoming Area Manager, Carlie Ronca. “The flush will be accomplished without adversely impacting overall power generation at Boysen Dam or the expected water supply for irrigation.”
Flows in the river below Boysen Dam will be incrementally increased from approximately 1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 5,000 cfs on March 24. The 5,000 cfs flow will remain for a 10-hour period. Flows will then be incrementally reduced back down to approximately 2,200 cfs.
The purpose of the flushing flow is to clean the spawning gravels and improve fish reproduction in the river.
Flows of 5,000 cfs or more in the Wind River below Boysen Dam are not unusual during peak summer snowmelt runoff periods in years of above-average runoff. But the flows will be high for this time of year, and the public is urged to use extreme caution during this period of flushing flows below Boysen Dam.