Flushing flow set for Tuesday downstream from Boysen Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation at the request of, and in collaboration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, has scheduled a flushing flow in the Wind and Big Horn Rivers downstream of Boysen Dam for Tuesday, March 28.

“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,” Wyoming Area Manager Carlie Ronca said. “The flush will be accomplished without adversely impacting overall power generation at Boysen Power plant or the expected water supply for irrigation.”

Flows in the river below Boysen Dam will fluctuate from 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 5,000 cfs during the flushing flow. On Tuesday at 2 a.m., the release of water from Boysen Dam will be increased to 3,000 cfs, and further increased to 5,000 cfs at approximately 7 a.m. for 10 hours before being reduced gradually back to 2,000 cfs at approximately midnight. The schedule may be modified depending on river ice conditions.

The purpose of the flushing flow is to clean spawning gravels of fine sediment that has accumulated over the winter, which is expected to improve trout reproduction in the river.

The flow also provides opportunity to observe what increased flow in the river looks like.

Forecasted snowmelt runoff predictions are much higher, and flows in the river could be higher than normal in the coming months.

The public is urged to use extreme caution during this period of rapid fluctuation of flows below Boysen Dam.