COEUR d'ALENE - Kootenai County rivers and lakes have risen this week, but no major flood problems have been reported.

The Coeur d'Alene River at Cataldo is above flood stage and was expected to crest late Monday at 44.39 feet, or 1.39 feet above flood stage, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said.

Water is flowing past Cataldo around 22,400 cfs, according to U.S. Geological Survey data.

Minor flood-related problems were reported in the area, deputies said. A small amount of water has crossed the Latour Creek and Rose Creek roads, which is common this time of year. If the river hits 44.5 feet, water could reach the CCC Road alongside the river.

No homes or businesses are currently threatened, deputies said Monday morning.

Homes and property were damaged in January when the Coeur d'Alene River crested over 46 feet.

Lake Coeur d'Alene was 2,130.58 feet above sea level on Monday morning, deputies said, well below flood stage. However, under current predictions, the lake could reach the flood stage of 2,133 feet by next week.

The sheriff's department encouraged boaters to use common sense and courtesy when traveling the lake. Boaters are advised to heed low wake and no wake areas to avoid shoreline damage and erosion.

If Lake Coeur d'Alene does reach flood stage, a Kootenai County ordinance will impose a mandatory no-wake zone for the entire lake, deputies said. The sheriff's department will enforce the ordinance.

At Hayden Lake, ground water absorption in the field below the spillway is effectively managing the spring rise, deputies said. The field is a recharge area for the Rathdrum-Spokane aquifer, and recent trenching in the field has helped the overflow water percolate into the aquifer.

The Army Corps of Engineers planned to begin work Monday on the earthen dam at the southwest corner of the lake, deputies said, in order to strengthen it. Construction is expected to continue through the end of the week, according to a Corps press release.

Deputies reminded boaters that a no-wake zone is in effect in Honeysuckle Bay near the dike. The Honeysuckle Boat Ramp is currently open.

A Corps of Engineers team was on the St. Joe River Monday, providing assistance as the river continues to rise, the press release said. At Calder, the Joe is moving about 20,700 cfs and registered 12.79 feet on Monday, the USGS reported.

Closer to Sandpoint, cool temperatures and above-normal precipitation may cause flooding on Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River.

The Corps plans to release the full capacity of Albeni Falls Dam between now and when Lake Pend Oreille reaches the peak elevation for the year - projected to be sometime in June, a press release said.

The dam is now being operated on free flow, the Corps said, which will help keep the lake level down. Lake elevations could be above 2,062.5 feet for several weeks.

Areas downstream of Lake Pend Oreille - such as Cusick, Newport, and Usk - could be affected by high releases from Albeni Falls Dam while the dam is on free flow, the release said.

Current snowpack in the North Idaho Panhandle is 162 percent of normal, the release said. Snowpack levels upstream of Lake Pend Oreille range from 152 percent of normal in the Upper Clark Fork Basin to 182 percent in the Flathead Basin.

Given the above-normal snowpack, people residing in flood-prone areas should take precautions this spring and be prepared for flooding, the release said.

Local leaders and the Corps will hold a public information meeting in Sandpoint this Wednesday. The meeting will take place at the Bonner County Administrative Building, 1500 Highway 2, at 7 p.m.