Boat capsizes on Payette Lake, prompting environmental precautions

August 10, 2025

The capsized boat became stuck on the lake bottom while being moved to the shore.

MCCALL, Idaho — A 22-foot wake boat capsized Saturday afternoon on Payette Lake, prompting environmental protection measures and water intake precautions by city officials.

According to a statement from the city of McCall, the boat overturned around 5 p.m. The Valley County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident and pulled the boat to shore at Legacy Beach.

The capsized boat became stuck on the lake bottom and could not be moved closer to shore. The city expressed concern about a potential fuel leak, as the boat may still contain a full tank of fuel.

The city stated that it notified the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Idaho State Incident Command. Both agencies are conducting notifications and dispatching procedures in response to the incident.

As a precautionary measure, McCall city crews switched the municipal water intake from Legacy to Davis intake station and will deploy containment booms around the area to prevent any potential fuel spill from spreading.

City officials said they will continue monitoring the situation closely.