# Post Your Rainfall Flows!



## kuuskv

Where I come from, we go kayaking when it rains. It's been coming down quite a bit over the past few weeks here in Colorado so lets keep an eye on those gauges! If you happen to be gauge watching and you notice a river coming into boatable flows, post it on this thread.

As of tonight (9/9/13 11pm) it looks like Bear Creek is flashing (141 and rising) and USB is at 142 and rising. Clear Creek peaked at 220 a few minutes ago. Although it isn't rain-dependent, Bailey is at 350. 

I believe it is supposed to rain for the rest of the week on the front range, so help keep your fellow buzzards up to date on flows in case any of us need to develop a cold or a fever or some other reason to call in sick!


----------



## jmacn

3 laps on Oak Creek, AZ today: 600, 400, 300 Amazing day!


----------



## deepstroke

Coming from a state where kayaking was mostly rain dependent, I get the same Pavlovian response when it rains to check guages and go on stand by mode. It looks like Bear is currently 227 above Evergreen Lake after peaking at 500! Dawn patrol may be in order.


----------



## Jefe

Baileys is at 626!!! Could this be a blip? Come n get it!!

http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=PLABAICO&MTYPE=DISCHRG


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

Get it this morning. Bailey is not a blip, that's real. They will turn down the tunnel maybe around 9ish, but it will take 1.5 hrs to reach the put in. If you put on by 9-10 you may still be good. 

Bummed that I have work conflicts this morning, or else I'd be loading up to paddle. Hope someone gets on it.


----------



## deepstroke

Looks like I combined bear lake and evergreen in to evergreen lake. Regardless, Bear above Evergreen is 198. Who wants to hit Bear this morning?


----------



## deepstroke

I just remembered that there is a dam on Bear but i'm not sure where it is or how it affects flows. The guage above Evergreen seems to be holding steady at 198. Is that guage below the dam?


----------



## cayo 2

Watertalk says 104. at Morroison ...above the lake is teeny tiny, like smaller than Turkey Crk....200 is probably out of the banks..not runnable up there ...less gradient, private property issues, and many low bridges.....


----------



## Cutch

Gila Drainage, including San Francisco is going large. 
Salt is running. And a bunch of AZ it seems. 
Paria River was flashing, but probably still low flow. Chinle has some water... but probably not enough. 
Zion Narrows is on the low side, with flashing potential. Same with Timpoweap on the Virgin.


----------



## mikesee

Escalante in Utah flashed to 2k yesterday, slow fade now but still at ~240.

...for those of us that can take ~5 days off on zero notice...


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

bear creek is up to close to 150 right now, and the evergreen gauge went up to 200. That flow is likely to come on down throug the res, and keep bear up above 150 ish for the next several hours.


----------



## Outlaw

Zero inches, blue skies, and a typical inland northwest dry fall..... word is that Deep Creek will be in so the ranchers can irrigate their fields.


----------



## stubby

Clear creek is holding strong through the day just below 300. Just pulled off some nice low flow, brown water Rigo laps.


----------



## jmacn

*Salt should hold steady this week*

Salt is holding strong w/ plenty of water in the upper tribs. With rain in the forecast a wilderness run this week could be on your list...


----------



## fullmer

*dURanGO*

Medium (maybe high!) Vallecito and elfing (maybe medium) Bakers are ready to roll tomorrow.


----------



## bshock

Gila here in Cliff hit over 16,000 today after mogollon creek, duck creek, and bear creek dump in. Went for a 3 mile town float this evening. Lots of wood and trees coming down after the fire last year.


----------



## bshock

Here's a pic at the put in. Water came up somewhere between 9 and 10 vertical feet at this bridge during the last 24 hours.


----------



## kuuskv

FLASH FLOOD WARNING: 

ATTENTION COLORADO/ROCKY MOUNTAIN KAYAKERS: IF YOU HAVE NEVER PADDLED A RIVER AFTER A MASSIVE RAIN EVENT (i.e. the current one) PLEASE KNOW THAT FLASH FLOODS CAUSE CHANGES IN RIVER FEATURES.

ROCKS MOVE, LOGS MOVE, LOGS COME OUT OF NOWHERE.


SCOUT BEFORE YOU STOUT! IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!


----------



## stubby

Bailey at 566 and clear creek at 371 this am!


----------



## ednaout

Bear's at 318 at 630 this morning!


----------



## WillYates

Wish I was off this week


----------



## lmyers

Canadian is on it's way up, thinking about a mission to Northern New Mexico Saturday... been watching and wanting to get in the upper canyon for years.


----------



## [email protected]

Enough of this bear creek stoke, its time to put on the big boy pants!

USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09352900 VALLECITO CREEK NEAR BAYFIELD, CO.


----------



## fullmer

Valle is ON! 700 cfs and rising! That's 2.75. Wow!


----------



## Rojo

*Piedra over 800 cfs*

The Piedra is back in, but I wouldn't try the road in to the middle access point. Just run both sections.
USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09349800 PIEDRA RIVER NEAR ARBOLES, CO.


----------



## mikesee

*Black Boxes...*

...are over 1000 as of now.


----------



## stubby

NSV is rising. 217cfs right now! Could actually getting runnable levels. 

Any SSV visuals? Betting that it may be in if NSV is on the rise.


----------



## West slope for life

*Rain runs!*

Rain has put vallecito out the roof....890cfs and still on the up...that is too high to run but probly will be good this weekend or tomorrow/friday. Also bakers box of the animas 662cfs and rising also will be in this weekend/ is a solid medium right now!


----------



## Roy

400+ in Bear Creek--haven't seen that in a while! Git sum!

Edit: Wood situation is relatively "clean" as of this AM, but be heads up as lots of stuff is moving around in there, so it can change quickly. There's a low bridge between No Fun Falls and the slide where the left side might go, but it looks dicey at this level. We ported that.


----------



## jonny water

Boulder Canyon is flooding

American Whitewater - 03. Blue Bridge to Eben G Fine Park, Boulder Creek Colorado, US


----------



## Miller Time

Clear creek 400
Boulder creek 711 (peaked)
Lyons 1000 (gauge has error)
Big T 980
Poudre 1250 ( prob 3 ft or higher) 
Bailey 270 (tunnel turned down)
Bear creek 600
Eldo canyon 570 (suicide)


----------



## Jefe

Big T is @1240 and rising! Gnar laps??!!


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

Holy fucking monsoon! 

Got am email from Kara... Big T is releasing 1500 cfs, north fork at drake is 700+ and canyon mouth is 2500. If you like raging big water class V check it out. Gauge below big t is in error. 

Middle saint vrain is over 400, which means ssv is full on! 

Bear over 600. Incredible. 

I blew my monsoon vacation day from work yesterday thinking it can't get any better but this looks like one for the record books. Be safe out there and get some!

Probably creek ing after work. Not sure where. Big t ssv or bear.

Would be cool to get road and canyon closure updates for some of these runs. Read some news stories of boulder flooding and many road closures.


----------



## Canada

*I've hit boulder creek at the 700+ level before and*

was actually glad I was in a Big Cross Fire. A bunch of gapers were getting caught in the park features that are a bit sticky at these flows. (Read this as look at them if you aren't a class V boater) 

Seriously one of the days that stands out in my years of boating!!

Get some!! Wish I was closer.


----------



## jmacn

*All the Stars Align*

This week has been unreal in AZ. Many of the sought after runs were in yesterday. We ended up staying close to home and enjoyed a beautifully sunny high water Oak Creek. The level was about 1,000 when we got down to Slide Rock. Awesome! The Salt looks like it'll hold all weekend, Verde as well. What a great way to end a fantastic monsoon. Favorite time to be in the desert!


----------



## suigeneris

*Road closures*

Road Conditions, Speeds, Travel Times, Traffic Cameras, Live Streaming Traffic Cameras, Road Closures and Road Work Information provided by Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) a branch of Colorado Department of Transportation
Poudre

Road Conditions, Speeds, Travel Times, Traffic Cameras, Live Streaming Traffic Cameras, Road Closures and Road Work Information provided by Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) a branch of Colorado Department of Transportation
St Vrain

Road Conditions, Speeds, Travel Times, Traffic Cameras, Live Streaming Traffic Cameras, Road Closures and Road Work Information provided by Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) a branch of Colorado Department of Transportation
Big T

Bummer for now but quite understandable. Listened to Kara Lamb on Ch 7 as she described what a CFS is: One cfs is equivalent to one basketball which would weigh approx 7lbs-At one point they were releasing 1700 basketballs a second out of Olympus Dam. Oh the humanity....


----------



## hojo

Of lesser excitement, I drove through Glenwood Canyon and Barrel looks like it's at that fun creeky level.


----------



## hojo

deepsouthpaddler said:


> Holy fucking monsoon!
> 
> Would be cool to get road and canyon closure updates for some of these runs. Read some news stories of boulder flooding and many road closures.


I'm to understand that Lyons doesn't want people on the roads into or out of the area due to bridge issues. Just and FYI. I can't imagine that it'll be like that after work. 

Lyons Flood Update:



> Very Important: All Lyons and Lyons area residents are being asked to stay home until further notice.
> 
> Do not leave Lyons. All major roads are closed: Highway 66, Highway 36 and Highway 7 are all closed.
> 
> These roads will remain closed until emergency responders can evaluate the soundness of all bridges and roads.
> 
> As standard emergency procedure, please use water sparingly. If you can, drink bottled water and conserve your use of tap water.
> 
> Stay out of all flood water, standing or moving.


----------



## jeffy

Poudre is at 1470 but falling now. Peaked over 1700 this morning.


----------



## hojo

I think you might not be able to get into Lyons. This was posted by a Lyons resident.









Sadly, I think paddling is out and helping people recover what's left of their lives might be the order of the day.


----------



## David Spiegel

Holy crap Hojo, that picture is insane. That puts some things into perspective.


----------



## bhanvey

hojo said:


> I think you might not be able to get into Lyons. This was posted by a Lyons resident.
> 
> Sadly, I think paddling is out and helping people recover what's left of their lives might be the order of the day.


That is some crazy flooding. Do you know where that picture was taken???


----------



## hojo

I don't know exactly. It was posted by a friend of a friend who lives/works in lyons. Here's the fb page it originated from: https://www.facebook.com/erickean


----------



## hojo

Here is Paul's video of the Big T: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t6_Zlzf90rQ


----------



## Roy

suigeneris said:


> Listened to Kara Lamb on Ch 7 as she described what a CFS is: One cfs is equivalent to one basketball which would weigh approx 7lbs-At one point they were releasing 1700 basketballs a second out of Olympus Dam. Oh the humanity....


Sure that wasn't 7 *gallons*? A cubic foot of water weighs about 60 pounds.


----------



## jeffy

Paul's video is pretty scary. Get off the road dude.


----------



## KennytheJet

I'm new to the Colorado/Denver area and haven't paddled out here yet but I would love to get out tomorrow or over the weekend if these flows hold and it's not too sketch.


----------



## Ka-Pow

Good thing I keep the raft in the back of my car. I might be paddling home on the commute today.


----------



## BrianK

Poudre up to 1940cfs. It has got to be in the high 4 feet range and should be getting close to 5 feet. I wonder if there are a ton of slides are covering up the the road or if the closure is more of a precaution. 

I doubt reopening CO 14 is a priority right now with all the other flooding going on, but some high water boating in September would be pretty nice.


----------



## jeffy

According to local boater/firefighter Kelly, its highly unlikely the road will open today. 

If only we didn't just experience the high park fire, would be an amazing few days of boating.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

We could drive up through redfeather and float all the way to teds.... the road is closed not the canyon!


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

big T releases going up to 2500 cfs. Holy crap. That kind of flow is going to do major damage to property and bridges in the canyon along hwy 34.


----------



## mattoak

deepsouthpaddler said:


> big T releases going up to 2500 cfs. Holy crap. That kind of flow is going to do major damage to property and bridges in the canyon along hwy 34.


But much better than losing the whole dam I'm sure



Paul the Kayaker said:


> We could drive up through redfeather and float all the way to teds.... the road is closed not the canyon!


Run straight through bto to filter plant put in? Just don't forget the greeley diversion dam and the two others downstream! I wonder if the greeley tunnel / canyon mouth diversion are open or closed??


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

whoa!!! That's insane! So will there be like 3500 at the mouth then? Whats coming in off the north fork?


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

deepsouthpaddler said:


> big T releases going up to 2500 cfs. Holy crap. That kind of flow is going to do major damage to property and bridges in the canyon along hwy 34.


Where are you hearing this from? Are they really bumping it up? Its already over a lot of the bridges up there.


----------



## El Flaco

More Big T flooding:


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Here is the gauge at 12:30pm:

BIG THOMPSON RIVER AT LOVELAND, CO. 09/12 12:30 MDT 3,900 
BIG THOMPSON BL MORAINE PARK NR ESTES PARK, CO 09/12 12:45 MDT 922


----------



## mjpowhound

I think that gauge is above the lake?

Ian's info is from Kara's email.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Ya wherever it is there is a shit load of water coming out! Whats real and whats not, all the gauges are saying different things.


----------



## mattoak

What is that picture of?


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

The pic is of loveland water district/plant or whatever you'd call it... about to shut down.... Fill up your jugs if you live in loveland.


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

I am getting my info straight from Kara, who is sending out operational updated to her email list. The big T gauge below the dam is in error. I think that the E on many gauges is due to the fact that river staget (height) is far above any measured height in their rating table. I looked at St vrain through lyons... highest stage on the rating table is 4 ft with a corresponding flow of 2000 cfs. Gauge height is reading 8ft, and my guess is that would mean 5000-10000 cfs at lyons. Hard to say since the river is out of its channel by the looks of pics and the town is flooding.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Right on, I need to get on her email list! Thanks for the update! 10000 out of lyons, I would think so as well from the pics.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

By the way the poudre is now at almost 2500! 5 feet on the rock. Wondering what she's going to look like on the other side of all this.


----------



## paulk

That's weird because I totally called a 5 foot September 12th peak. Do I get to claim that prize from the guess the peak game?


----------



## paulk

Poudre at 4800!!!


----------



## harper80

Heres the real question, how fast is it going to drop off? Will it still be some high water for the weekend?


----------



## jeffy

Wow. Ragin. Its way higher in town with the influx of everything else. Anyone been downtown?

Legacy park have water in it yet?


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

*Big T releases go higher. 3600 cfs from the dam. Radar is still showing lots of rain in the boulder through cache la poudre. *

*Great Plains Region*
*Loveland, Colo.*
Media Contact: Kara Lamb, 970-962-4326
For Immediate Release: September 12, 2013
*Reclamation Managing Water Releases on Big Thompson River for Protection of the Public and Facilities in Eastern Colorado*
LOVELAND, COLO. - The Bureau of Reclamation is releasing 3,600 cubic-feet-per-second from Olympus Dam to the Big Thompson River at the top of the Big Thompson Canyon. In addition, Reclamation is moving up to 550 cfs through facilities of the Colorado-Big Thompson project, keeping this water out of the Big Thompson River.
“Olympus Dam on the Big Thompson River and other Reclamation dams and facilities are safe and performing well,” said Eastern Colorado Area Manager Michael Collins. “Though not built for flood control, Reclamation is utilizing the Colorado-Big Thompson system as best we can to manage the heavy rain inflows into Lake Estes while reducing the releases into the Big Thompson canyon.”
Inflows to Lake Estes have reached 3,700 cfs and no water is being imported from the west slope through the Alva B Adams Tunnel. Water being diverted into the Colorado-Big Thompson project will go into Pinewood Reservoir and then into Horsetooth Reservoir or Carter Lake. It does not go into the Big Thompson River.
One cubic foot per second is one cubic foot of water moving by you every second. That is the equivalent of one basketball weighing seven pounds moving by you every second. Since Reclamation is releasing 3,600 cfs, that is 3,600 basketballs weighing roughly seven pounds coming out of the dam every second.
For more information please follow @usbr on Twitter.


----------



## cayo 2

So who is going to 2nd D the Little T on the backside of this flood?


----------



## jonny water

Little T....that is exactly what I was just thinking! For me, that would be the most fun alternative and a real adventure. However, I have never scouted it or considered the logistics of a run.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Since when did a cubic foot of water weight less than one gallon of water??? Anyway 3600, this is insane, Poudre at 4800!! I cant wait to go up there this weekend and see what happened.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Here is a pic of the little T in Berthoud, just imagine what it looks like on gradient!


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Estes:


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Big T:


----------



## jeffy

Poudre Fire ‏@poudrefire 15m
Utilities preparing 4 stormwater flooding in City. Increasing rain & flow rates in the Poudre make flooding imminent. Updates every 3 hrs.


Ugh...


----------



## cmsummit

Heard from a coworker (water resource engineer) in my company's Longmont office that the Saint Vrain hit over 12,000 cfs downstream of the wastewater treatment plant in Lyons. The 100 year flood is somewhere around 8,800 cfs. :shock:


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

Big t releasing 4770. Unbelievable flows. Saw a report on NWS spotters of 20ft wall of water coming down left hand canyon.


----------



## johng

Poudre gauge is now outside the range of calibration so no more cfs readings until it comes back down. Topped out at 6300, but that was a foot lower than the current reading (~7.8 an your ago, now ~8.9). Based on prior increments, that's probably approaching 8,000!!


----------



## deepsouthpaddler

Big t up to 5420. Boulder creek gauges going straight up. Catastrophic flooding.


----------



## johng

We just got an automated 911 call that Seaman's (the bottom reservoir on the NF Poudre) is going to overtop and all bridges across the Poudre will be closed, along with Harmony west of I25. The NF at Livermore - which is high at 700 - is reading 3800, so presumably all that will overtop Seaman's, adding to what we already have. As a wild guess, this could put ~12,000 in the Poudre running through town. It's going to be a very long night for a lot of people.


----------



## mjpowhound

9 News is reporting that I-25 is closed at Loveland because the Big T is flowing over it! I remember that bridge being pretty damn tall and wide. Crazy!!


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Big T:


----------



## Paul the Kayaker




----------



## Paul the Kayaker

Ps here is my new command post, got the day off!! Trying to get eyes on the poudre today but it may be impossible:


----------



## Claytonious

Paul the Kayaker said:


>


 WOW. Doesn't look like a safe place to be.


----------



## BrianK

Video of Big Thompson washing away the road:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tWGK4CiWxeM

The whole thing is cool, but it gets real good around the 6 minute mark. That's a big rapid.


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

So BK when do you think we can get up there? 11ish?? Looking good


----------



## BrianK

I'll hold a rope for you...


----------



## Paul the Kayaker

I wouldnt even have been willing to open that diversion that like that guy in the video did. Imagine a wave knocking him off that platform.


----------



## floatondown

Here is some video of the Poudre just north of Lee Martinez park about 5:30 am today. This is the Poudre trail, not the main channel. The main channel is about 300-400 meters north of this location


Poudre flood Lee Martinez park Fort Collins - YouTube


----------



## mjpowhound

Man, great pics and video!

Some Bear Creek flooding from Evergreen:

Bear Creek Flooding View of Evergreen Lake Dam Sept 13 - YouTube
Bear Creek Flooding in Downtown Evergreen Sept 13, 2013 - YouTube


----------



## mikesee

Slaughterhouse is in:

American Whitewater - Gauge - ROARING FORK RIVER BELOW MAROON CREEK NEAR ASPEN

460 and climbing.


----------



## Daryl

*Clear Creek on Friday the 13th*

Shot at 9:00 AM Rigor Mortis at 1300+

Looks like Willy Wonka's chocolate river

Clear Creek Rigor Mortis at 1300+ - YouTube


----------



## Jensjustduckie

I-25 and the Big Thompson, that's a car mostly submerged in the median.


----------



## mjpowhound

These pics of Big T are damn impressive. Who knows what the flows have risen to, but I don't think it's been over 10k. Compare that to the 1976 flood, which I've read was estimated to peak at 30k. Imagine that!


----------



## -k-

Came across this on 9 news slides. "Little St. Vrain in Pinewood Springs", submitted by Jeff.

Damn!


----------



## Sagebrusher

Found this on the Guadalupe Mtn NP facebook page, Mckittrick Canyon:



https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=161795024018164&set=vb.120924901288631&type=2&theater


----------



## BKC

Michelle got this footage today! Details in the link! It's vertical ... like we all enjoy! So enjoy! 

No Fun Falls .... 9/13/2013 ... 9:30 am - YouTube


----------



## BKC

Bear creek canyon is now open for travel!


----------



## atom

*Embudo*

Embudo at 500cfs


----------



## Gumbydamnit

On a different note, I was going to run the Piedra today and went to the takeout and put in, and it was not looking friendly so we decided to put it off for a day or so. The road is fine, but the river is flooding. As high as it was (I don't care what the gauge says) It will have grabbed some new wood from the banks so be careful. Hope everyone up north stays safe.


----------



## stubby

BKC said:


> Michelle got this footage today! Details in the link! It's vertical ... like we all enjoy! So enjoy!
> 
> No Fun Falls .... 9/13/2013 ... 9:30 am - YouTube


Damn! A lot more in there then when those guys fired it up last night.


----------



## powdahound76

Holy smokes! A good friend from work who lives in Pinewood Springs was able to get to a landline that hadnt been ruined yet and let us know she was ok. Her families place is on a hill above the main village. Sounds like they will have to be airlifted to get out from one of our pilots. Its all crazy.
When I lived in AK and worked for an aviation outfit we used to hear about this stuff and just take a 185 and go check it out. Oh the stuff I saw (devils canyon during breakup with a big ice jam). Wishing I could fly during the clean weather windows. 

My best hopes and prayers for anyone affected by this.


----------



## KUpolo

Lower Clear Creek at 1200 tonight! I doubt I will ever get to do that again in my lifetime in mid September. So much fun!


----------



## stubby

Aerial video of FC and Loveland. The footage of the Big T at 3:30 is unreal.

http://www.coloradoan.com/videonetwork/2670951716001/Aerial-tour-of-Fort-Collins-Loveland-flooding


----------



## Doozer

Unreal indeed.


----------



## Kyle K

*Mixed message*

As a kayaker, it's so fun to think of all the goods that are happening right now. 

As a human being, it's hard to watch all of this without thinking that I should be helping in any way I can, instead of sitting here in New Mexico, celebrating at at wedding weekend. 

I guess the only thing to do is be happy for those that are out getting it while the getting is good and, at the same time, being proud of those that are out helping, when the helping is most necessary. 

The good and the bad, the yin and the yang. 

Hope you're all OK out there.


----------



## BKC

Here's some footage from last night on Bear! Saw a rig driving up the canyon as we were driving down ... with 3 boats! Did anyone hit it up last night? Cheers!

Bear Creek ... 9/13/2013 5:30 pm - YouTube


----------



## stubby

It's crazy to think how everything is going to have rearranged on Boulder creek, Poudre, SSV and NSV! Next season everything is going to be like an exploratory mission and first descent like with new rapids, significantly changed old rapids, etc. pretty wild.


----------



## Jensjustduckie

stubby said:


> It's crazy to think how everything is going to have rearranged on Boulder creek, Poudre, SSV and NSV! Next season everything is going to be like an exploratory mission and first descent like with new rapids, significantly changed old rapids, etc. pretty wild.



I imagine the Big T rapids will be unrecognizable, I know there were boulders by garbage disposal river right held on the mountain by nothing more than dirt, I'm sure they're in the river now. Wonder what it will look like once they get the highway rebuilt? Gonna be a long time before we can go see the changes


----------



## cayo 2

Jen,

It 'll be good to go for your SUP. re1st D in a couple days. Just put in at Estes Park.

I boated /swam on the Rio Cangrejal in Honduras a few months after Hurricane Mitch.The Kong empties into the Caribbean about 10 miles or so downstream.It got up to something like 500,000 cfs .Huge trees got blown out to sea and washed up on the beaches outside town, 50 ft.by 3' in diameter logs scattered about like toothpicks.The guide /outfitter I went with and some locals reexplored a harder run for the first time since Mitch.They said there were new rapids, rapids that were gone, rapids that were harder, rapids that cleaned up, stuff that was the same.Over time the new norm sets in.Should be interesting to see.


----------



## mjpowhound

I'm sure I'm not the only weather geek on here that has been just as fascinated by rainfall totals as river levels:

Precip Totals - Multiday

Another interesting piece: Bear Creek Reservoir is currently storing more than five times the amount of water as it was storing before the storms started and according to the Army Corps of Engineers, it was at capacity before. There have been spotlights on the dam the last couple nights. Obviously, there is a lot more room there than the typical size of the reservoir, but I wonder why they state the capacity as so low? It's been doing its job as flood mitigation, as releases to Bear Creek were zero the last few days and only today resumed. Is that because lake levels are becoming a concern?
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/Surfacewater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=BCRRESCO&MTYPE=STORAGE
http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/DamandLakeProjects/TriLakesProjects/BearCreekDam.aspx
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/Surfacewater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=BCROUTCO&MTYPE=DISCHRG


----------



## mattoak

While the rapids will change due to boulders moving, the gradient will still probably be the same right? Maybe the location of drops is different or they changed, but the overall feel of the gradient shouldn't change too much? Just different waves and obstacles in the way?


----------



## Jensjustduckie

cayo 2 said:


> Jen,
> 
> It 'll be good to go for your SUP. re1st D in a couple days. Just put in at Estes Park.


LOL, that would be a sweet claim to fame but an incredibly long shuttle right now  Plus that whole possible death thing with massive tree strainers and houses in the river...


----------



## mattoak

Maybe would be the first to perish from a house strainer though?

or first to boof a roof


----------



## blutzski

mjpowhound said:


> I'm sure I'm not the only weather geek on here that has been just as fascinated by rainfall totals as river levels:
> 
> Precip Totals - Multiday
> 
> Another interesting piece: Bear Creek Reservoir is currently storing more than five times the amount of water as it was storing before the storms started and according to the Army Corps of Engineers, it was at capacity before. There have been spotlights on the dam the last couple nights. Obviously, there is a lot more room there than the typical size of the reservoir, but I wonder why they state the capacity as so low? It's been doing its job as flood mitigation, as releases to Bear Creek were zero the last few days and only today resumed. Is that because lake levels are becoming a concern?
> Detail Graph
> Omaha District > Missions > Dam and Lake Projects > Tri-Lakes Projects > Bear Creek Dam
> Detail Graph


Cool stats. Thanks for posting. Bear Creek may be at 5 times normal levels, but it is nowhere near capacity (meaning at spillway level). The capacity they list is probably the capacity before they start flooding out things like parking lots, boat ramps and restrooms. The whole point of Bear Creek, Chatfield, and Clear Creek reservoirs is to have huge excess capacities to absorb flood water and prevent flooding downstream. I'm just guessing, but I suspect the dam has never been tested to this level since it was constructed, thus the precaution.


----------



## mjpowhound

I'm sure you're right. The Corps' stated capacity is a bit misleading.


----------



## WillYates

Has anybody been down the dirty devil river lately? Seems like its still pretty high. Not sure why. Wondering the potential for logjams especially down near the lake where it narrows up. Thanks.


----------



## lmyers

More rain yesterday in the Ark Valley is still holding the river at a great level. 438 Pine Creek/Numbers, 598 Browns, and 565 in the Gorge. Amazingly consistent, quality late season flows.


----------



## yetigonecrazy

blutzski said:


> The whole point of Bear Creek, Chatfield, and Clear Creek reservoirs is to have huge excess capacities to absorb flood water and prevent flooding downstream.


Bear Creek Reservoir is to Bear Creek what................... is to Clear Creek?


----------



## stubby

yetigonecrazy said:


> Bear Creek Reservoir is to Bear Creek what................... is to Clear Creek?


Coors brewing ponds?


----------



## cayo 2

That is a good question /point Yeti ....What is to keep Clear Creek from taking out Golden and NW suburbia? Georgetown is high up and tiny.There are a lot of ponds and diversions around and below Golden,but no big areas of land like the other reservoirs mentioned.Maybe Coors lowers their standards even more and ramps up production


----------



## blutzski

yetigonecrazy said:


> Bear Creek Reservoir is to Bear Creek what................... is to Clear Creek?


Sorry, meant Cherry Creek. NW suburbia is screwed.


----------



## cayo 2

yeah sorry can ''t read apparently..
thought he said Cherry Crk..



Anyone know what flood controls Golden/nw burbs have if Clear Creek went ballistic..say 5-10 k ?


----------

