# Owyhee River Trip



## Learch (Jul 12, 2010)

I am praying it holds out until the last week of May when I can go. There isn't anything needing a portage. I've been trying to get some shuttle beta myself. One of my club members had a name and number Jack Tinges 541-586-2548. If I get any more shuttle information I'll pass it on.


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## TriBri1 (Nov 15, 2011)

You might get luck and be able to run it in June, I was shooting for Memorial Day weekend, but think I am going to try for April just to be safe. It is pumping right now...


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## salmonjammer (Dec 14, 2011)

*Very Doubtfull*

I have floated the Owyhee twice, Rome down. Both time in May. I haven't seen it floatable in May for 5-6 years. I have never seen it floatable in June, but there does appear to be a good snow pack. Problem that area looses its snow early. A friend of mine put in one year after a rain. Got up the first morning and the river had dried up! Sat there three days until luckily another rain came and the got out.


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## TriBri1 (Nov 15, 2011)

In 2011 the owyhee ran through early July. It was an exceptionally high year though. Looking at historic flows you are living on borrowed time after the first week of May.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

It would be crazy to see those 2011 June follows again. I think this year is shaping up to be more like 2010, which was still a good year. We floated it in June in an Aire super duper puma with 2 peeps a dog and going normal style, not really light. However, we have run down from Rome many times. When the river gets down near 1000 I would not want to be in a 16' raft, though it can be done. I have no problem taking the 14', but narrow, aire super duper puma down there at the flows we had in mid June 2010 (down to about 700 cfs), and would not hesitate to go when the flow is above 500 cfs in a 14' or smaller raft. This is not the norm. Most folks don't raft it when it is below 1000 cfs or so. There is a good chance it will be in 500 to 600+ cfs range in early to mid-June. But doubtful it would be much more than 1000 cfs unless we get some serious more snow and it comes off slowish. The reservoir will fill up a lot more this year by the time late spring/early summer comes around so take out at Birch Creek unless you can arrange for a tow out.

When rowing a raft and getting down below about 1500 to 1200 cfs, make sure to scout nuisance rapid. It is defenitely tight for a 14 foot raft or larger especially below 1000 cfs. It is hard to determine when you are approaching this rapid, and the scout along the bank sucks, but lots of folks pin badly here at low water on either the 1st or 2nd huge boulder that you have to make a tight quick s-turn ferry right then left to avoid. 

Alternatively, use IK's and have a great trip guaranteed. The small mouth bass fishing in June should be ridiculous, using kayaks it is totally fine to paddle out on the reservoir to Leslie Gulch. If you do that plan on camping at echo rock hot springs along the reservoir, it is really nice. Also plan on camping at Leslie Gulch at take out and exploring for a day or 2 before heading home 

The flow:









The Raf as it was packed for the above 700 cfs trip.









Or go Kayak style


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

along towards the end of April, if snow pack is still around 150% of average for the basin, you could likely be rafting it in mid-June at 800 cfs or well above. Median daily flows are around 400 to 500 cfs in mid June, 75 percentile (25% exceedence) daily flows are around 800 to 1200 cfs during mid-June on the Rome gage.

Also along about the end of April, check in with the NRCS website for the Owyhee runoff prediction of similar year. They haven't done anything with this yet, but it should be very informative the end of April to early May as a predictor for mid-June:
ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/states/id/webftp/recession/owyhee.pdf


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## GreenWall (Oct 20, 2015)

Learch said:


> I am praying it holds out until the last week of May when I can go. There isn't anything needing a portage. I've been trying to get some shuttle beta myself. One of my club members had a name and number Jack Tinges 541-586-2548. If I get any more shuttle information I'll pass it on.


I would be interested in hitting that trip with you. I am going to try and do the upper in April with a couple people


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## leviwin (Feb 12, 2016)

thanks for all the info. Looks like I might have to hit it earlier or go to another river in June


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

Lots of water currently coming off the snowpack with all these warm temps. If we continue this spring trend there won't be much left by May.


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## Bongo (Sep 10, 2014)

Putting In on tues - is there a hydrologic prediction site that could show a graph for next week? L
Can't seem to locate the best cfs prediction graphs for the future at Rome



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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

I don't believe there is an official flow prediction for the Owyhee above the reservoir. Given the weather forecast, my guess is the flow will continue to slowly decrease. There should be plenty of water for a trip launching on Tuesday.


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## R2-KB2 (Jan 21, 2016)

Check out nwrfc.noaa.gov


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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

R2-KB2 said:


> Check out nwrfc.noaa.gov


Doesn't have the Owyhee above the reservoir, only below the dam.


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## Willie 1.5 (Jul 9, 2013)

Northwest River Forecast Center

If you click on the point at the dam it will give a projected inflow in cfs, in a menu on the far right. 

This gauge rarely tracks Rome and the projections are rarely accurate. But it can be useful for looking at trends. I've spoken to them about this, the inflow is calculated by measuring the rise in the reservoir, not the most accurate method. No excuse was given for why the predictions are so poor. 

Remember to carry firewood, regs require it and frankly there isn't much down there.


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## asleep.at.the.oars (May 6, 2006)

A little off topic, but are any of the boat ramps on the reservoir paved road accessible? Not this year, but some year I'll get back, and if I already have an outboard to push to Leslie Gulch (next time! learned that lesson...), I could push farther if it would guarantee a clean shuttle. We didn't get stuck in the mud at Birch Creek, but it was still a mess going in and out of Leslie the one time I was there.


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## R2-KB2 (Jan 21, 2016)

Wadeinthewater said:


> Doesn't have the Owyhee above the reservoir, only below the dam.



Are you sure? I know it is measured at the dam but the graph says inflow so I figured it was for behind the dam.









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## Wadeinthewater (Mar 22, 2009)

Willie 1.5 said:


> Northwest River Forecast Center If you click on the point at the dam it will give a projected inflow in cfs, in a menu on the far right.





R2-KB2 said:


> Are you sure? I know it is measured at the dam but the graph says inflow so I figured it was for behind the dam.
> View attachment 11165


I stand corrected. I had looked at the NWRFC page and at lots of USBR pages and never noticed that. Thanks.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

The gauge at Rome shows it steadily decreasing almost like its in recession but the basin still says 80% snowpack left. Has it just been cold up there? Hope it starts flowing more soon I have a trip coming up and it would be great to float over all the junk, especially Nuisance.


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