WINCHESTER, ID — The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking grant funding to help cover millions of dollars in repairs needed at Winchester Dam, a structure recently classified as high-hazard by state regulators.

According to the agency, the Fish and Game Commission has authorized staff to pursue grants to offset an estimated $2.8 million to $3.6 million in rehabilitation costs.

The Idaho Department of Water Resources designated Winchester Dam as a high-hazard structure, meaning upgrades are required to ensure it can safely handle a 500-year flood event. The classification also reflects ongoing seepage concerns that could affect the dam’s structural integrity.

Until those repairs are completed, water levels at Winchester Lake will remain under a mandated 40-inch drawdown. The restriction, issued under a conditional exemption, continues to limit recreation at Winchester State Park and in the surrounding area.

Fish and Game acquired Winchester Lake and nearby land in 1966 through a land exchange with Potlatch Forests, Inc. Today, the site is managed by Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and includes day-use facilities and about 70 campsites.

Officials have not announced a timeline for repairs, which will depend in part on securing outside funding.