The Pine River Irrigation District will be conducting a “flush” on the Pine River beginning Tuesday, April 8.

Currently, PRID is releasing 200 cubic feet of water per second into the Pine River. The flush process will take place over a two-to-three-day period, and water releases from Vallecito Reservoir are planned to reach 1600-1800 CFS for a limited period, said Brian Sheffield, dam superintendent. The water released from the reservoir will increase gradually during the period, peak at 1600-1800 CFS for several hours, and gradually decrease back  to 200 CFS.

The flush process is necessary  to remove silt and debris from the river in preparation for the irrigation season, Sheffield said. The river flush is a regularly reoccurring process conducted by PRID in accordance with operational and safety requirements.

For more information, call PRID at 970-884-2558.