The U.S. Army Corps Engineers’ Philadelphia District posted the 2023 Recreation Plan for the Francis E. Walter Dam. The plan specifies dates and actions associated with whitewater and fishing releases from the dam from late March to early October of 2023. USACE coordinates the plan with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
In 2023, the plan includes 24 whitewater releases and 22 fishing enhancement releases (unchanged from prior years). One significant change for the coming year – fishing releases previously schedule for March have been moved to the last three weekends in September based on feedback.
Dates for fishing releases and whitewater releases are noted below. Several dates are dependent on adequate water storage in the reservoir. It’s important to note that the need for flood control operations could result in the cancellation of any scheduled dates.
Whitewater Releases Schedule (dates with * are dependent on adequate water storage):
- May: 13, 20, 27, 28
- June: 10, 11, 24, 25
- July: 8, 9, 22, 23, 29, 30
- August: 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26*, 27*
- September: 2*, 3*
Fishing Enhancement Releases Schedule (dates with * are dependent on adequate water storage):
- March: 25, 26
- April: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30
- May: 6, 7, 14, 21
- September: *9, *10, *16, *17, *23, *24
* With the pool at elevation 1365 on July 1, storage is sufficient to support the planned white-water recreation releases through August 20 and Fisheries augmentation releases of up to 100 cubic feet per second through Friday July 14 and up to 50 cubic feet per second through Friday September 1. After those dates additional water must be accumulated during the recreation season to make additional releases possible.
**The October 7-8 weekend release is intended to provide a means of releasing any excess water that may have accumulated during the recreation season and shall not exceed a pool elevation of 1350. This is the last added increment for the 2023 recreation plan.