Avista to Begin Lake Spokane Drawdown
December 10, 2018
SPOKANE, Wash. – Dec, 10, 2018: Avista is planning to draw Lake Spokane (Long Lake Reservoir) down beginning January 1, 2019. Operators expect to lower the reservoir, up to one foot per day over a two-to-three week period, until it reaches its winter drawdown elevation of 13 to 14 feet below the normal summer elevation of 1,536 feet. Avista plans to hold the lake down as long as weather permits with the goal of at least being drawn down until the end of January.
Under the right weather conditions, which include sustained periods of single-digit temperatures and little or no snow on the exposed lakebed, the drawdown is expected to help control Eurasian water milfoil and other invasive aquatic weeds found in Lake Spokane. The drawdown also allows shoreline homeowners the opportunity to complete state and locally permitted repair and construction projects along the lake shoreline. Please be aware that river flows may vary widely based on weather conditions. It is important to monitor the conditions daily if you plan to do maintenance or shoreline work.
Property owners and lake-users are reminded to make necessary preparations, including removing boats from the water, and removing or securing docks and boathouses to accommodate shifting ice and low-water conditions. Floating and removable docks are less susceptible to damage from shifting or changing ice levels.
Please note and be aware, as with all winter drawdowns, water levels are subject to change due to a variety of factors including weather (rain on snow events in the upper drainages and/or higher than normal temperatures of which we cannot control) and/or maintenance at Long Lake Dam. Lake users should always be alert to signs of such changes and exercise the highest level of personal caution and safety.
Customers can access waterflow information at myavista.com/waterflow or on our 24-hour telephone information line. You will find notification of anticipated elevation changes on Lake Spokane, the Spokane River, and Coeur d’Alene Lake. In Washington call (509) 495-8043 and in Idaho call (208) 769-1357. The recorded information is provided to advise shoreline property owners, commercial and recreational users of changes in the lake elevations and river flows that may affect plans for water use.
About Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 375,000 customers and natural gas to 336,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million. Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visit www.avistautilities.com.
The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation. SOURCE: Avista Corporation
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Under the right weather conditions, which include sustained periods of single-digit temperatures and little or no snow on the exposed lakebed, the drawdown is expected to help control Eurasian water milfoil and other invasive aquatic weeds found in Lake Spokane. The drawdown also allows shoreline homeowners the opportunity to complete state and locally permitted repair and construction projects along the lake shoreline. Please be aware that river flows may vary widely based on weather conditions. It is important to monitor the conditions daily if you plan to do maintenance or shoreline work.
Property owners and lake-users are reminded to make necessary preparations, including removing boats from the water, and removing or securing docks and boathouses to accommodate shifting ice and low-water conditions. Floating and removable docks are less susceptible to damage from shifting or changing ice levels.
Please note and be aware, as with all winter drawdowns, water levels are subject to change due to a variety of factors including weather (rain on snow events in the upper drainages and/or higher than normal temperatures of which we cannot control) and/or maintenance at Long Lake Dam. Lake users should always be alert to signs of such changes and exercise the highest level of personal caution and safety.
Customers can access waterflow information at myavista.com/waterflow or on our 24-hour telephone information line. You will find notification of anticipated elevation changes on Lake Spokane, the Spokane River, and Coeur d’Alene Lake. In Washington call (509) 495-8043 and in Idaho call (208) 769-1357. The recorded information is provided to advise shoreline property owners, commercial and recreational users of changes in the lake elevations and river flows that may affect plans for water use.
About Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 375,000 customers and natural gas to 336,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million. Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visit www.avistautilities.com.
The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation. SOURCE: Avista Corporation
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Contact:
Mary Tyrie
mary.tyrie@avistacorp.com , (509) 495-4470
