Northern Idaho lawmakers press faster Albany Falls gate repairs, seek fuller summer lake levels

State and local officials told an Idaho Senate committee on Feb. 25 that prolonged low levels at Lake Pend Oreille, caused in part by aging gates at Albany Falls Dam and long federal timelines for repair, have weakened the lake’s recreational economy, complicated emergency response and reduced waterfront property usability.

“These gates can and should be built and replaced on a much quicker time frame,” said Wayne Hammond, CEO of the Idaho Associated General Contractors, who urged the Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate the repair schedule. Hammond warned that delaying repairs would raise cost and risk: he cited nonresidential construction costs up “38.1%” since February 2020 and said concrete costs have risen about “41%” and steel “44%” over the same period.

Sen. Jim Woodward (R-1) and Rep. Mark Sauter (R-1) told the committee that the issue has two parts: the immediate need to repair or replace defective gates at Albany Falls Dam and a longer-running dispute over how the Corps operates the lake. “We're really talking about two distinct…