# Has the Colorado peaked?



## Bornwithatail (Mar 2, 2008)

Is it going to steadily drop now, or a quick spike when it warms back up? Trying to get an early week WW plan going.


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

It will come back up when it warms up. There is a decent amount of snow left in the upper c basin, and much of the drainage got more snow this week.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

I love the annual "Have we peaked?" thread. The runoff is just starting! Although down there in the south you guys are a bit short on snowpack. Don't worry, we haven't peaked in Colorado.


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## eklars (Mar 28, 2006)

If you've never seen these nifty 10 day flow forecasts they might help. There's one somewhere for just about every gauge. Here's my local Dotsero:
http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/gmap/list/list.php?search=dotsero&point=all&sort=&type=river


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Drove over a few passes this weekend. Lot's of snow up high still..... like on the order of 3ft+ on Fremont Pass and was dumping snow. I think we will still see a higher peak everywhere except the San Juan and Rio Grande basins.


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## Bornwithatail (Mar 2, 2008)

*thanks*

Ahh, very good, then. Up here everything's 'bout gone & they're not releasing from Flaming Gorge so filling still. Good cause was wondering about the Ark as well. Okiedokie!


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

sorry to be a debbie downer, but i believe most of the major drainages have peaked in colorado. i would be shocked if the yampa or colorado get higher than they were last week. And all season long i've heard the Ark is not doing so well, but i haven't looked into that one. a bad year following a historically bad year doesn't give me much confidence in an extended run off this season.


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## Nathan (Aug 7, 2004)

skiersteve3 said:


> sorry to be a debbie downer, but i believe most of the major drainages have peaked in colorado. i would be shocked if the yampa or colorado get higher than they were last week. And all season long i've heard the Ark is not doing so well, but i haven't looked into that one. a bad year following a historically bad year doesn't give me much confidence in an extended run off this season.


Did you spend the month of April under a rock? Most drainages got hammered in April bringing the snowpack to near normal. All that late snow will mean decent peaks, but I don't think it will sustain for a long season unless the weather stays cool. Historically, most drainages peak early June, we're on schedule for that to be true this year.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Nathan said:


> Did you spend the month of April under a rock? Most drainages got hammered in April bringing the snowpack to near normal. All that late snow will mean decent peaks, but I don't think it will sustain for a long season unless the weather stays cool. Historically, most drainages peak early June, we're on schedule for that to be true this year.


I agree Nathan, and in fact I was predicting a late May peak, but with light snow and cold temperatures for a week now I think we will be looking at first to second weekend in June for peak on the Ark.

My references to Fremont Pass bode well for the Colorado too. The headwaters of Tenmile Creek, East Fork Eagle and the Blue are all right there. Looked like fantastic coverage for backcountry skiing. Looked to me like the water that has come down at this point was from below 11,000' and south facing slopes.


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Maybe Utah didn't experience the snow redemption we had this April and May? Stoked the Poudre is at 100% of average snowpack!


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## T-Boss (Sep 17, 2008)

skiersteve3 said:


> sorry to be a debbie downer, but i believe most of the major drainages have peaked in colorado. i would be shocked if the yampa or colorado get higher than they were last week. And all season long i've heard the Ark is not doing so well, but i haven't looked into that one. a bad year following a historically bad year doesn't give me much confidence in an extended run off this season.


U are correct, there is no more snow, no more water. Just pack it up for this year. Sell your boat, buy some skis and get ready for ski season


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

In fact, here is a photo from Cottonwood Pass (for Ark Basin reference) taken yesterday:



picture courtesy of Buffalo Joe's Whitewater Rafting in BV...... lot's of snow left to come down....


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## Mike Harvey (Oct 10, 2003)

you could literally find this exact same thread for 9 of the last 10 years. Its right next to the one asking about Escalante in mid-March. 

Nice shot Logan. Cottonwood looks like a good destination for some spring skiing laps right now.


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## treemanji (Jan 23, 2011)

Mike Harvey said:


> you could literally find this exact same thread for 9 of the last 10 years. Its right next to the one asking about Escalante in mid-March.


 
Funny, its right next to the thread about Westwater ice in late Feb and the Dino notice.


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## one legged wonder (Apr 19, 2011)

Mike Harvey said:


> you could literally find this exact same thread for 9 of the last 10 years. Its right next to the one asking about Escalante in mid-March.
> 
> Nice shot Logan. Cottonwood looks like a good destination for some spring skiing laps right now.


Haha and don't forget the one about the best cooler to take down the grand... Thank you rafters.


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

i stand by what i said but only time will tell. I will happily admit my mistake if the colorado or the yampa goes beyond last weeks peaks....however, i'm pretty confident they won't. A snowpack isn't made in a month. I also never said anything about the season being done and over with, only that indeed i believe the major drainages have peaked as asked in the orginal post. For those of you interested in reading a bit into the water projections for lake powell (fed by the Colorado mind you), you should read this: (projects as of May 11th btw). 

Bureau of Reclamation - Upper Colorado Region Water Operations: Current Status: Lake Powell


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

skiersteve3 said:


> i stand by what i said but only time will tell. I will happily admit my mistake if the colorado or the yampa goes beyond last weeks peaks....however, i'm pretty confident they won't. A snowpack isn't made in a month. I also never said anything about the season being done and over with, only that indeed i believe the major drainages have peaked as asked in the orginal post. For those of you interested in reading a bit into the water projections for lake powell (fed by the Colorado mind you), you should read this: (projects as of May 11th btw).
> 
> Bureau of Reclamation - Upper Colorado Region Water Operations: Current Status: Lake Powell


A snowpack is generally not made in a month, but in this case our record late spring snowfall does account for bringing our snowpack back up to normal in many areas of the state. That's not some wild guess. There are snow sites all across the state that qualitatively measure our snowpack and estimate snow water equivalent. 

Lake Powell is a long way downstream with many water projects upstream. Therefore its predicted inflows are not an especialliy good predictor of what common stretches of the Colorado River in the state of Colorado are going to do, which I presume is what the original question was about based on the poster's location. Normally runoff for most of Colorado doesn't start in earnest until June. A warm stretch of weather got some things coming up a little early this year, but that's just the first bump. I will be amazed if the Colorado has already reached its peak.


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

^^^ not a chance. The Animas/San Juan drainage hasn't even peaked. It will peak Memorial Day or so. Colorado and Yampa have lots to give still.


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

like i said time will tell.....at the moment the peak for the colorado at stateline has been 13,100 and the yampa just short of 10,000k i believe. I will happily admit if i am wrong, hope you are all will to do the same if i am right. While we are at it, do you guys have any guesses to what you think the peak will be this year at those guages (just curious).


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

so....have things peaked?


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

I still say no.....but it could have. It depends on the weather. If it warms up at night (still been freezing quite a bit) it would send down the alpine snow fast (and there is still plenty of it)....but if temperatures continue to warm slowly, or if we get another weather system in the next 7-10 days, then yes, it's probably peaked.


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## F.A.A.C. Slim (Jan 14, 2010)

Yes it has peaked...bet the farm on it

cheers


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Nope.
Is Escalante running?


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## skiersteve3 (Apr 29, 2011)

I think it is safe to say the colorado and the yampa have peaked both right about may 20th....

Yampa:USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09260050 YAMPA RIVER AT DEERLODGE PARK, CO

Colorado: USGS Current Conditions for USGS 09163500 COLORADO RIVER NEAR COLORADO-UTAH STATE LINE

From under a rock in Utah 
-Steve


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## foreverhard (Apr 14, 2009)

ONLY because of WATER THEFT from MOTHER-FUCKING, PIECE-OF-SHIT, ASSHOLE, JERK, COCK-SUCKING, ENEMIES-OF-NATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

foreverhard said:


> ONLY because of WATER THEFT from MOTHER-FUCKING, PIECE-OF-SHIT, ASSHOLE, JERK, COCK-SUCKING, ENEMIES-OF-NATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I would have gone with one more "!", I think it really would have made the point a little better.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

foreverhard said:


> ONLY because of WATER THEFT from MOTHER-FUCKING, PIECE-OF-SHIT, ASSHOLE, JERK, COCK-SUCKING, ENEMIES-OF-NATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Foreverfuct, technically it's not theft, because we (the people, in theory) bought and now own your water. We owned it before it existed. We used to share more, but socialism is going out of style, so now we just own your resources. 

Those MF/POS/etc/enemies of nature are your neighbors, farmers, ranchers, and you. Unless you stop eating food and drinking water, then you are at fault for fucking up nature with the rest of us. 

Lack of runoff isn't only because of diversions. It has something to do with the water cycle. Look it up. They teach it in third grade. Right about the same time they teach proper use of the exclamation point.


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## chrispy (Apr 6, 2004)

Kyle....nice .... where is the "like" button?


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## F.A.A.C. Slim (Jan 14, 2010)

Bet the farm on it....


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