Managers to reduce water released from Jackson Lake Dam

Federal water managers are planning to greatly reduce the amount of water released out of Jackson Lake Dam.

The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that next week the Bureau of Reclamation will begin releasing the minimum rate of water allowed, or 90 percent less than what is currently flowing into the Snake River.

The plan is to reduce releases from the approximately 2,000 cubic feet of water per second that is coming out of Jackson Lake today to 281 cubic feet next week.

Upper Snake River water operations manager Mike Beus says the 281 feet is the lowest level of the desirable winter range, which can reach as much as 600 cubic feet. Releases above that rate can trigger fish-killing frazil ice.

Beus says low levels like there are currently happen sporadically, most recently in 2013.

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Information from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com