# Gunny Gorge 2015



## efranz (May 12, 2009)

The Bureau of Reclamation has already achieved it's high water target for the year. The Black Canyon water right was met on Saturday and they are ramping the flows down. The Gunnison Gorge should reach a base flow of 400 cfs by Thursday. The BOR plans on keeping the flow at that level until downriver delivery requirements necessitate an increase. It's likely that in June flows will increase a bit, but I don't anticipate that they will exceed 800 cfs.

Bottom line is that flows will be pretty low (but boatable) for the rest of May, and that June should be pretty steady with slightly better flows.


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## Plecoptera (Jul 26, 2013)

I ran it at 600 last year, and it was tight but do-able. We left a hypalon streak on the wall at Cable, but a 14' paddle raft did fit. Nice news is we had it to ourselves, all day, until we got down to the flats.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Thanks! For my future reference where does one figure out BuRec's plans, etc? I've always come up empty handed in searching. 

I also went down in a paddle boat but there was significant bumper boating - seemed like a lot of work relative to the enjoyment factor. That said, I'd take 800 in June, definitely better than nothing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


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## ukonom (Nov 21, 2008)

Not always the most up to date, but here's the general info, plus Aspinall working group meeting minutes, and a number to call: Bureau of Reclamation - Upper Colorado Region Water Operations: Current Status: Aspinall Units


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

I think 600 cfs is a realistic expectation for mid-June.


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## Plecoptera (Jul 26, 2013)

Boy, 600 = stonefly season gonna suck.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

So much for 600 in June! Saw the gauge go up, reached out to BuRec, and they relayed this great news:

_"The ramp-up of flows in the Gunnison River are a direct result of the much higher than expected rainfall. This has increased inflow volumes into the Aspinall Reservoir system (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal). The May precipitation in the Gunnison River Basin was in excess of 250% of average. Which resulted in an updated runoff forecast from the River Forecast Center in Salt Lake we received last week, the new forecast increased 130,000 acre-feet from last month. We now need to release much more water than we had anticipated from just a month ago. The current release rate from Crystal Dam is set at 2,000 cfs, which is maximum powerplant. The Gunnison Diversion Tunnel is taking approximately 800 cfs, which leaves 1,200 cfs in the gorge. We will probably leave the release at this level for the rest of the month of June and July, unless we continue to receive additional rain events raising the reservoir levels, at which time we may be forced to start by-passing water. There maybe some fluctuations this this level of flow given that the tunnel could increase their diversion to full capacity (1,000 cfs), or we make minor adjustments to max powerplant releases."_

Anyone know if Larry Franks is still running his mules? Anyone have an updated phone number?


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

Here's the BLM website for Gunnison Gorge outfitters:
GGNCA River Outfitting Services

This is the contact info for the horse packer, Larry Franks:
J & Ray Colorado High-Country 
Larry Franks 
8360 6400 Road 
Montrose, CO 81401 
(970) 323-0115


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

Flows through the Gorge bumped up again. Should settle in at about 2,100 cfs by the end of today (6/11/2015).


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Saw that. We're headed there next Monday for an overnight. What's it like at that level? Only been through <1,000 CFS. Getting big or just kind of padded? I've heard it doesn't bump up to IV until more than 3,000 CFS, but wondering if that's sandbagged.


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

From a technical perspective, it's tougher at low water. But of course it's pretty slow then, too. At 2,100 there's more room to maneuver in the rapids, but everything is faster and feels pretty sporty. Around 2,700 waves and holes get bigger -- it's pretty fun. Above 3,000 many of the features are washed out, but swims could be rough. One Miler and Upper Pucker get really big as flows increase above 3K.


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

I spoke with Erik Knight (BOR) this afternoon about what we might expect over the next few days as far as flows in the Gorge. Although he couldn't say exactly what to expect, here's what I got from the conversation:

inflows into Blue Mesa are currently far exceeding outflows; over the weekend the reservoir was coming up at a rate of a foot per day (10,000 acre feet/day)
Blue Mesa is within 3 feet of filling
models used to forecast inflows are not good at handling the kind of rain (and rain-on-snow) events that have driven the inflow this season, so there's a high level of uncertainty about how much more might be coming
they want to avoid sending water over the spillway at Blue Mesa
My feeling is that they will have to run full bypass at Blue Mesa, which will send about 6,100 cfs down to Morrow Point and Crystal. With the Cimarron running close to 1,000 and other side-inflows, that would put more than 7,000 coming over and through Crystal. With 900 diverted through the Gunnison Tunnel that still would leave over 6,000 going through the Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge.

With increasing temperatures and chance of rain in the high country, I wouldn't be surprised if flows were above 6,000 by the weekend. I'm thinking they'll be over 4,000 within a couple of days.

Please be careful. A swim at high water can be long and cold.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

I can't get the USGS link to the Gunny Gorge flow station. Can one of you guys who knows it post it here, please. Thanks much.


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

Here's the link: USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09128000 GUNNISON RIVER BELOW GUNNISON TUNNEL, CO

It's currently at 3,380 cfs and has been dropping.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Thanks buddy. That took all of 6 minutes!


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## TuffGonG (Jul 10, 2007)

I will be on the Gunny Gorge July 6-7th. Any educated guesses on what the flow may be by then? Thanks.


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## Flaco (Nov 18, 2014)

efranz said:


> Here's the link: USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09128000 GUNNISON RIVER BELOW GUNNISON TUNNEL, CO
> 
> It's currently at 3,380 cfs and has been dropping.


Edd,

Do you have any beta on their targets for July? 

Ken


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

Flaco said:


> Edd,
> 
> Do you have any beta on their targets for July?
> 
> Ken


In the short term (during runoff) I think you can get a rough feel for what to expect in the Gunny Gorge by looking at inflows into Blue Mesa, plus inflows from the Cimarron River, minus what's taken out by the Gunnison Tunnel. Blue Mesa Dam will likely to continue to release about as much as what is coming in (Gunnison River + Lake Fork + Tomichi, roughly). Then add the inflow from the Cimmaron to that, and take out about 1000 cfs for the Gunnison Tunnel.

After the runoff tapers off, then releases will be driven by target flows for Whitewater. Since this year is in the Average Dry category, the Whitewater minimum target for July, August and September is 1050 cfs. So you can expect minimum flows to be 1050 cfs, minus the flow of the North Fork at Lazear, minus the flow of the Uncompahgre at Delta. 

I find that we can usually count on 600-700 in the Gorge in mid-summer. If we get another good monsoon season that supplies higher flows to Whitewater, the BOR may opt to reduce flows in the Gorge.

There. Now that I've put it in writing I can hear the supreme being snickering at my hubris.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Anyone planning on putting-in this Friday, July 3rd who would be interested in mules? Last I heard Larry Franks had a 4 mule minimum, and we definitely won't need that many. Tentatively planning to get there Thursday evening, running shuttle/mules Friday morning and putting on midday.

By my (very subjective) math, flows are dropping at such a rate that they should be 1500-2000 CFS by Friday midday, pending any rain.


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## efranz (May 12, 2009)

Aknoff said:


> Anyone planning on putting-in this Friday, July 3rd who would be interested in mules? Last I heard Larry Franks had a 4 mule minimum, and we definitely won't need that many. Tentatively planning to get there Thursday evening, running shuttle/mules Friday morning and putting on midday.
> 
> By my (very subjective) math, flows are dropping at such a rate that they should be 1500-2000 CFS by Friday midday, pending any rain.


You might call Larry. He probably already has some pack-ins scheduled that day, so it might be easy for you to get packed in without worrying about meeting the minimum for horses.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Jeff, Scott & I had a great trip through Gunny this past weekend at about 2000 cfs. My thanks go to the people of this thread that helped with info. Much appreciated.


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