Boise River remains dangerous for holiday weekend — but float season is within sight

It may have hailed Wednesday, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Boise residents craving summer weather.

The annual “float season” on the Boise River may start as soon as June 20, according to a Wednesday news release from Ada County Parks and Waterways and Boise’s Fire and Parks and Recreation departments.

Officials hedged on the exact start date, noting that it would depend on the amount of water flowing through the river, the weather forecast and removal of any debris or downed tree limbs in the river.

Officials are waiting for consistently warmer weather and lower river flows. Right now, the river is flowing at more than 1,500 cubic feet per second, according to the release. On average, float season has opened when those flows dropped to around 1,130 cubic feet per second.

In the meantime, the river is considered too hazardous for untrained floaters for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, the press release noted.

“We understand the excitement and eagerness to float the Boise River, but it’s crucial to wait until the conditions are right and hazard mitigation can be completed,” Boise Fire Dive Captain Scott Hall said in the release. “The dive team will continue to monitor the river for downed trees and other hazards as we approach the opening of float season and will remove them as necessary.”

As the season approaches, organizing agencies will provide opening, safety and logistical information on www.floattheboise.org.

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