2012 NFSP / Roberts Tunnel Flows

[vayaker]

Hello,

What is a reasonable low level for Bailey? I will be in the Boulder area looking to boat in a few weeks and it looks like Bailey is the best option. I am from Virginia and I am used to sliding down mountain sides on damp rocks, so I am just wondering how low can you still get down it.

Also, I have been reading all the previous posts on Bailey and I think I figured out the best gauges to use. Roberts Tunnel + Grant = Flow. Is this correct?

Thank you for you help!

[DanOrion]

Bailey gage above 250 is fun. Above 350 is quite fun. Below 200 is wet rocks.
Bailey Gage: Bailey Gage
The river is fed by the Roberts Tunnel: Roberts Gage

When you go: Check the Bailey gage to see what flow is. Then check the Roberts gage to see if the tunnel is still on. The Grant gage is inbetween the tunnel and the Bailey gage.

Putin parking: East (downstream side) of ATF store. Be respectful at four falls. Don't let Carini get you.

[deepsouthpaddler]

Dan has it right. Your formula isn't right. Grant gauge is just downstream of the tunnel, so grant = natural flow plus the tunnel or what is total in the river. Bailey gauge is a few miles downstream and picks up more flow. If haiku gauge is above 250 you will have fun. Bailey will probably be running most days in the next month or two.

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/6 update...

Denver Water turned up the tunnel to 275 today. 360ish in the river. Flows will probably stay up at that level or maybe bump a little higher over the next few days. If we get some big afternoon storms, that could drop demand and the flows, but thats unlikely.

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/8 update...

Denver water is holding the tunnel steady at ~280 cfs. About 350 in Bailey. That's good fun!

They plan on holding the tunnel steady through the weekend unless it rains and drops demand. The recent rain lowered demand a bit and they dropped cheeseman flows and kept the tunnel steady. Should be a good weekend in the north fork.

Check out Lyons outdoor games this weekend!

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/11 update...

Denver Water turned up the tunnel to 350 cfs today. Yee-haw! Should mean about 400 @ grant, 420 @ bailey. That, my good friends, is over and out of the mank zone and bonifide grade A quality boating in a drought year.

With warm weather expected all week, flows should stay up around where they are now. Main variable is if afternoon storms bring significant precip to the area.

Get it while you can!

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/13 update...

Denver water is holding the tunnel steady at 350 cfs. A tad over 400 in the river. Love it!

As other folks have noted... 400 seems to be the magic number where the mank starts to dissappear and the quality jumps up.

Get it while you can!

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/15 update...

No changes to the tunnel planned for the weekend. As always weather could change it.

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/22 update...

Summer is here. The tunnel has been 350-380 all week with no changes today. Hot and dry forecast means flows will stay up this weekend.

Based on 2002 data and this years drought I think the north fork will runnable for the most of June, July, and the first half of august too, except for the occasional rain that will drop flows for a few days.

Everyone I talked to who has paddled it over 400 recently has been loving it!

[deepsouthpaddler]

6/25 update...

Denver water turned down the tunnel to ~280 cfs. Should mean about 300 cfs in the river. They are once again balancing how much comes ftom dillon vs cheeseman. Not a big demand change, just less out of the tunnel and more out of cheeseman. Sounds like they may take water out of drought reservoirs above cheeseman. Not sure how long current flows will last but it should be similar flows I'm the near term.

400 cfs was great while it lasted!