Boise River Watershed - Lake Lowell

Submitted by Jenni Lund on Mon, 2017-07-10 00:00

 

Lake Lowell is a part of the Boise River Watershed.  It is near my home in Nampa, Idaho and it plays a big part in life in Nampa.  Not only does it supply water for recreational activities, but it is a main source of irrigation to the farms and neighborhoods.   The activities enjoyed at Lake Lowell include swimming, fishing, hunting, and boating.  It is also a wildlife refuge so birding and observing deer and other wildlife are fun activities there, too.  There are parks on both the Nampa and Caldwell side that have picnic areas and even a disc golf course.  Lake Lowell is a man made reservoir that has four dams that open to canals that irrigate farms and residential subdivisions.   As you can see, as a Nampa resident, Lake Lowell is very important to me!  

Have you ever visited Lake Lowell?  How does this part or any part of the Boise Watershed affect your life?

 

 

Comments

Emma Shannon's picture

Hi Jenni,

I have visited Lake Lowell several times, for multiple reasons! While attending The College of Idaho, I found myself heading out to the reserve for solitude, trail runs, and quiet sunsets.  As a teacher in Caldwell, we took our students annually to enjoy the Wildlife Refuge  and all of the quality programming offered there.  Now, as a resident of Boise,we trek out to Lake Lowell occasionally for bird watching opportunities (and always to have a taco at Imelda's).  Since starting this week of learning, I have learned a great deal about Lake Lowell and will continue to enjoy its ecosystem services for years to come.  

The Boise Watershed affects all aspects of my life.  The Upper Basin provides some of my favorite places in the world to visit, whether it be hiking to an alpine lake or enjoying dinner with a spectacular view of the Sawtooths.  Beyond recreational opportunities, the watershed provides crops, irrigation, and our beautiful state with oppurtunities in agriculture, tourism, and commercial growth.  It sustains life in our region.  My family and I depend on the watershed, which is why I am grateful to be taking this course and learning more about this integral part of our ecosystem.

Pam Gibba's picture

I have also visited Lake Lowell many times. I moved to Nampa with my husband in June of 2010. Upon researching the area, we were both very excited to see a lake so near our new home.  We both love to be outdoors and consider ourselves avid hikers. The access to the lake has given us an avenue to explore new activities like fishing and birding. We have even had several amazing deer and bald eagle sightings over the years. Lake Lowell will always have a special place in our hearts for the miles and miles and miles we walked there together while I was pregnant with our son Wesley. As you can guess, Lake Lowell has played a significant part in our lives as far as a means for recreation.

As a resident of Nampa, I found it quite interesting to learn that Lake Lowell also plays a major role in the irrigation of the local area. I think that when you hear the word "reservoir," one immediately thinks that the water is simply stored and then fluctuates with runoff. I never really thought about where that water goes. For all the hours I have spent there, I have never fully credited the reservoir for the ways it truly affects a resident's life.

The students I teach in Middleton often share their own experiences with visiting Lake Lowell for swimming, fishing, and boating. I look forward to sharing a more well-rounded explanation of what this amazing resource provides us all.

Carly Grant's picture

I live in Cassia county along the Snake River. I honestly didn't know that there was a Lake Lowell. In fact, I was only aware of the Anderson and Lucky Peak Dams before the Idaho Adventure Learning. During college we studied the Geology of Idaho, but for some reason the only water way I recall is the Snake River and the association with the Snake River Canyon. We have the Oakley Reservoir and Lake Walcott that serve similar purposes as Lake Lowell. I have been fishing to the the locations in my back yard and I can't imagine if they were no longer here. 

Casey Weissenbach's picture

I have been a Boise resident my entire life and while I have never spent much time at Lake Lowell the Boise River has played a large role in my life. I always associate summer with the river as it is where I have spent countless hours with my family and dogs. We raft down the river, picnic on the banks, and stroll the Greenbelt. I always enjoy touring the MK Nature Center as well. It is a great reminder of all the life that depends on the river. It has been a struggle this summer with all the flooding that is causing closures along the river.

One thing that amazes me every year when working with my lower income students is how few of them have actually seen a river in their lifetimes. That blows my mind and it is something I hope I can change in my time working with these kids.

I also live near Lake Lowell and visit it often. My nephew and I have done a decent amount of fishing there. We have caught several specis of fish including: largemouth bass, small mouth bass, rock bass, yellow perch, sunfish, catfish, and of course carp. It is my understanding that carp are ruining the lake since carp are over populated. I believe it is the biggest problem facing the lake. If carp keep multiplying, then the "native" game fish could be at risk. There are so many carp in the lake that the fish themselves are polluting the water with the amount of waste all these fish are "dropping." There are several things the state could try. 1) Carp fishing tournamen. This could be a short term fix. Yes you would cut the population, but I couldn't imagine it would have a huge affect. 2) Drain the lake. This would be a long term solution, but would affectively kill every fish in the lake. They could restock. 3) Poison the fish in the lake but keep all the water filled. This has been done in New York and Vermont (where I'm from). People have done this to kill unwanted fish and non-native weeds, like Eurasian Millfoil. There is no easy answer how to "cure" Lake Lowell of its carp infestation, but someone will have to come up with a plan soon, so southern Idaho doesn't lose one of its big lakes.

Angela Becker's picture

Hello Tucker,

I like your idea of a carp tournament for helping manage the population. I would think it would be very popular, particularly if it were run multiple times a year. It would also be a great way to bring attention to the issue as many members of the public probably aren't even aware of the issue. I wonder if the state could find businesses that would sponser prizes? I also wonder if the carp could be used by the zoo/Birds of Prey center for feeding the birds/animals? There is a bird sanctuary near my parents home in Ohio that accepts donations of "trash fish" for feeding the birds. 

I appreciate that you look at possible solutions instead of just pointing out the problem!

Great idea about what to do with the carp after a fishing tournament. I often wondered what would happen to the caught fish. Carp tournaments have happened in the past I believe, or at least there has been talk of one. I told my nephew about a carp tournament, and he asked, "What would happen to all the fish?" I answered, "I guess they just die on the shore." He said he didn't want to go. If I had told him that special birds would be fed by the fish, he would have been more open to the idea. 

Great idea about what to do with the carp after a fishing tournament. I often wondered what would happen to the caught fish. Carp tournaments have happened in the past I believe, or at least there has been talk of one. I told my nephew about a carp tournament, and he asked, "What would happen to all the fish?" I answered, "I guess they just die on the shore." He said he didn't want to go. If I had told him that special birds would be fed by the fish, he would have been more open to the idea.