BOISE, Idaho — One of the unofficial signs that summer is coming to an end in the Treasure Valley is here - the seasonal drawdown of Lucky Peak Reservoir.
Beginning Sunday, Aug. 14, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation will begin lowering the lake's elevation. The gradual drawdown drops Lucky Peak's water by 1 to 3 feet each day.
The goal is to bring the lake to winter pool elevation, which is around 2,945 feet, by late September or early October. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the elevation timeline is dependent upon the future demand of irrigation in the area.
Officials are reminding the public to use extreme caution when recreating in or near Lucky Peak. As water levels decrease, boat ramp elevations will follow.
Boaters are also asked to be careful near shoreline, as they may become stranded with lower Lucky Peak water levels.
When water levels at the reservoir dropped because of an ongoing drought last August, one boater's vessel was left stranded along the sandy edge of the lake.
The blue and white Bayliner sat stranded for nearly nine months. The owner was forced to wait until May 2022 to retrieve his boat when water levels increased. Unfortunately, when access to the boat returner, someone had removed the Bayliner's seats, stereo, fish finder and more.
RELATED: Boat stranded in Lucky Peak Reservoir in 2021, recovered, but not before thieves ransacked it
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommends recreationists to keep an eye out for hazards underwater as they reach the surface level, especially in the Mores Creek area.
For more information, visit the Lucky Peak Facebook page.
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