RESERVOIRS -- Good news for fishermen, boaters and travelers relying on the Gifford-Inchelium Ferry: The Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday that they were halting continuation of the drawdown at Lake Roosevelt at the request of the Colville Tribe.

From an angler's standpoint, the management plan should keep at least four boat launches usable as the reservoir remains low in preparation for spring runoff. Curtailing the deeper drawdown also should reduce the number of trout and kokanee being flushed out of the reservoir over Grand Coulee Dam.

Following are details from BuRec:

The elevation of Lake Roosevelt was 1232.5 feet above sea level at 10 a.m. on April 21, 2017. The Corp of Engineers has made the official decision at the request of the Colville Tribe to limit the draft for Flood Risk Management (FRM) to 1232 feet. The level of the lake will remain in the 1232 -1235 range until the lake begins to refill.

This change in FRM is due to a request by the Colville Tribe because of roads being washed out in many areas and the concern of access for health and human safety. The Gifford-Inchelium Ferry will be able to continue operating.

The Lake will not be drawn down below 1232 until further notice.

Flood control is the MAXIMUM allowable level of the lake in order to be able to accommodate the spring runoff. Elevations may be lower than the flood control elevation due to power operations, river operations, drum gate maintenance, emergency situations or other unforeseen circumstances.

The lake level target provided in this report is only a prediction and subject to change without notice due to power operations, river operations, emergency situations or other unforeseen circumstances.

Lake level forecasts are updated by 3 p.m. each day. Call (800) 824-4916 for the updated 24-hour forecast.

Check out this post with a link to a NOAA site with Roosevelt levels, which includes a list of boat launching elevations on the same page.