High river flow, cold water pose risks to Owyhee River users
VALE, Ore. – Bureau of Land Management Vale District is advising visitors of dangerously high flows and very cold water temperatures on the Owyhee River below the Owyhee Dam.
“We are not closing the area, but we do want to advise the public of the conditions,” Acting Malheur Field Manager Nikki Haskett said. “Cold water can quickly cause hypothermia and high flows can sweep a person off their feet.”
Unusually high winter precipitation and runoff has led to early releases of water from the Owyhee Dam, which is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and managed by the Owyhee Irrigation District. The BLM Vale District manages the recreation corridor along the river.
Flows above 1,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) are considered challenging. Flows this week been in excess of 2,000 CFS and could exceed 3,000 CFS next week. Additionally, the high volume of water has washed out the rings of Snively Hot Spring Recreation Site and the cold water temperature has dramatically reduced the pool temperature.
For information about Snively Hot Spring Recreation Site, call Vale BLM at 541-473-3144. For information about water releases and flows, visit www.owyheeirrigation.org.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.