ADA COUNTY, Idaho — When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced they would draw down water levels at Lucky Peak Reservoir in July in order to start a major ramp project in September, the boating season was dramatically shortened. But as I found out everything seems to be on track for a full recovery for 2025.
- The new Turner Gulch Boat Ramp is on schedule to be done in early November
- Will benefit boaters and water managers
- This improvement was paid for by a Federal Infrastructure Bill
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"Although it was painful for the [recreationists] at least we're going to have a good ramp for the next fifty or 60 years."
Chris Silbernagel says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to draw down the water levels at Lucky Peak Reservoir early to start construction on the new Turner Gulch Boat Ramp by September 3rd.
"The real reason to stretch this ramp which is nearly 1000 feet is to reach our critical flood structures. Those structures are key for water passage through the dam allowing for hydropower generation and flood control. That allows our intake structures that provide water to the powerhouse as well as out slide gates, to manage the lake level. We use this structure to do that, and in order for us to maintain routine maintenance or an emergency. Access to this structure is through that boat ramp," said Silbernagel.
The new ramp is approximately 900 feet, nine inches thick, and raked for enhanced traction. They are also installing a six-inch curb to prevent boats from backing into the lake.
This is as low as you'll see the water levels here at Lucky Peak during this project to build the new boat ramp that will benefit everybody, but in about three weeks, around November 1st if everything goes as planned, they will start to bring the water levels back up maintain the levels they have during the winter.
Silbernagel added. "It was something that had to be done it was very unsafe and quite frankly if we would have kept pushing it, it would have been unusable."
This improvement at Lucky Peak was made possible because of a Federal Infrastructure bill.
