SANDPOINT — Lake Pend Oreille has begun its annual winter descent, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The lake has only dropped about a foot over the past week from its summer pool level of 2,062 to 2,062.5 feet above sea level since the drawdown started.

However, the lake is scheduled to drop to between 2,060 and 2,061 feet above sea level by the end of the month with the winter level of 2,051 expected to be reached by mid-November.

The drawdown began Sept. 17, will continue through mid-November when it will reach its winter level of 2,051 feet.

On Priest Lake, the Idaho Water Resource Board plans to increase flows from the Outlet Dam to a maximum of 400-600 cfs each day, in 200-300 cfs increments, two to three times a day, officials said.

River flow may reach up to 2700 cfs by October 5th and flows will gradually decrease as storage water in the recreation pool drains, IDWR officials said on the agency's website.

"Once the gates are clear of water, the flows will be uncontrolled," officials said. "Lake level is expected to be close to [gage height] 0.1 ft by November 1."

While construction at the Outlet Dam, which was constructed in 1978, is expected to start Nov. 1, IDWR officials said truck traffic and construction staging will begin sometime in October.

Officials said extending the height of the outlet gates will give the department additional flexibility in managing Priest Lake levels in dry years when snowpack and lake inflows are below normal.