October 8, 2025 As of October 8, 2025, the lake level is at 2.57 feet, and the flow through the dam is 1060 cubic feet per second (cfs). As you likely know, Fall Drawdown began on October 1, 2025. Prior announcements indicated flow through the dam would be capped at 1000 cfs. This would have resulted in a minimum lake level for the winter of about one foot on the USGS lake level gage. Stakeholder feedback has led to a revision to this plan, and the new cap in flow will be 1500 cfs. The revised target minimum lake level is approximately 0.4 feet by November 1. The capped flow of 1500 cfs will slow the drop in lake level in comparison to the Fall Drawdown using historic practices. Drawdown will cease on November 1, 2025 to avoid drying out the kokanee redds on the shorelines of Priest Lake. The following chart shows the anticipated lake levels this year compared to the traditional drawdown method used in 2024. As you can see, the new method for 2025 slows down the drop in lake level. As previously stated, the lake level on October 8, 2025 is 2.57 feet, as compared with the lake level on October 8, 2024, which was 2.1 feet.
IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
With funds raised at the Gin Fizz event, PLYC proudly donated $1,500 to three organizations making a difference in our community:
The Red and Blue Foundation – supporting first responders and their families in times of need.
Priest Lake Elementary PTO – assisting teachers and support staff. Priest Lake Food Bank – helping local families put food on the table.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and helped make these contributions possible.
THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for the annual community meeting on August 9. It was an engaging and informative day, covering everything from water quality and fire protection to boating regulations, watershed health, covenants, and future planning for our beautiful lake. The room was full of thoughtful questions, shared concerns, and genuine commitment to keeping Priest Lake pristine amidst its growth.
If you couldn’t attend, please stay connected by visiting our updated website preservepriestlake.com (formerly priestlakecoa.org) and following our Facebook page Preserve Priest Lake. Your interest and involvement make all the difference.
