# When will Ark supplemental flows wind down?



## denali1322 (Jun 3, 2013)

Planning a trip with some buddies on Aug 13 (Monday) and cannot recall if they turn off supplemental flows on closest weekend to Aug 15 or that date exactly.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Unless we have a strong monsoon season the water will be long gone well before August.


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## ptwood (May 4, 2004)

There is a fair amount of storage and the VFMP calls for 700 cfs from July1st through Aug 15th. IT is likely we will have 600-700 CFS at Wellsville until Aug 15th.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

ptwood said:


> There is a fair amount of storage and the VFMP calls for 700 cfs from July1st through Aug 15th. IT is likely we will have 600-700 CFS at Wellsville until Aug 15th.


PT, I talked to a raft company owner, whom I trust, a couple nights ago and he said we have less than 2 weeks of augmentation water left. Much has been used already prior to the normal augmentation period. I believe he said native flow is 320 now. I hope you're right but I fear not.

Oh, and congrats Mayor!


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

ptwood said:


> There is a fair amount of storage and the VFMP calls for 700 cfs from July1st through Aug 15th. IT is likely we will have 600-700 CFS at Wellsville until Aug 15th.


The latest email to the outfitters says they HOPE to have enough storage left to maintain 550 at Wellsville until August 15th now. Normally the agreement is for 700 at Wellsville, but as everyone knows there has been zero moisture this spring and summer and the reservoirs have a maximum storage capacity. They were both completely full a couple weeks ago, but storage is declining quickly and as Phil mentioned native flows are extremely low.


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## denali1322 (Jun 3, 2013)

Bummer, sounds like I shouldn't be planning stuff right up to Aug 15 with a 14' raft.

Thanks for the info.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

And to add to Logan's comment, the 550 at Wellsville is meant to hold 500 in Browns as long as possible. Also, I think the Nathrop gauge is off since its the only gauge on the river reading over 600.


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## 1mauisurf (Apr 13, 2010)

*Great title*



ptwood said:


> There is a fair amount of storage and the VFMP calls for 700 cfs from July1st through Aug 15th. IT is likely we will have 600-700 CFS at Wellsville until Aug 15th.


Distiller and Salida's mayor, that sounds pretty good ...


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

My birds tell me we're good through at least the first week in August. The reservoirs started the summer full, so while that gives me hope of a decent finale to the season, we will not be so fortunate as to have boatable flows all summer long if we get another water year like this one next year. It sounds like the water calls are already at 1880, and I'd expect that number to continue to trend that way. Shoshone is the big winner with a very senior call for 1200 cfs from the power plant all summer and into the fall. 

Bottom line is if you are in the 4-corners region and you aren't reservoir fed, it isn't much of a season. Whether you are a proponent or an opponent of dams and reservoirs, these are the times they were designed for and they are not only doing their job, but they are allowing us to have fun at the same time.


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