So, I'm going to the Mabon fest at PlanetBluegrass this weekend! Sweet. I was hoping that we might get a release one of those days to make October hole playable. I'm in my first few months of kayaking So, I'm not doing anything but surfs and spins. So, I'll settle for something lower.
So, for any locals or those in the know:
Does this construction and subsequent low-water pretty much spell doom for any hopes of O-Hole running again this fall?
Does the addition of an extra outlet mean lower levels flowing into October hole in general throughout the year?
Like I said I'm new to paddling and having trouble wrapping my head around all the politics and realities of water resource management. I'd like to learn more about it.
All,
The construction of the additional outlet at Carter Lake is to help meet water demands on the southern portion of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project served by Carter Lake and the St. Vrain Supply Canal.
Reclamation owns Carter Lake reservoir and its dams. Typically, in late fall/early winter, while water demands are low, we inspect the tunnel through the dam that feeds the canal and do maintenance at the outlet, if needed. When we are working at the dam, outlet, or tunnel, in the past, water has not run through the tunnel and outlet. The additional outlet currently being constructed will allow for water to continue serving those who need it while annual maintenance work is being done on the primary outlet.
For more information on deliveries and canal operations, contact the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The District owns and operates the St. Vrain Supply Canal.
I hope that helps.
Best,
Kara
__________________
Kara Lamb
Public Information
Eastern Colorado Office
Bureau of Reclamation
(970) 962-4326
Search for previous posts for the October Hole guages to see if it is flowing
I have.
It isn't right now. But since it depends on release from the res. it could be running on Sat. or sun...
I've searched and it doesn't seem like there has been much discussion on Carter lake releases. Since there are things going on up there which might have an impact on the spot during it's namesake month, I'm sure there are are some folks who have their finger on the pulse of the situation.
This is my first year watching the O-hole, and I am not optimistic for the rest of the season. I rode my motorcicle up there today, and spoke with a nice guy surfing, flat spins and such, but there is not much water coming out of the tunnel, and the water level was a good foot lower than I had ever seen it. I have read a couple of articles about the Carter lake project, and what I got out of that is that the lake was kept lower this year, and is now much lower than normal for construction purposes. This to me means that there is less water to release, and therefore less chance of it coming back up asside from flash storms. I also checked the guages (yes, there are guages for the O-hole, they have been posted, you want them, find the posts), and looking at the historical data (past 4 years) It appears that the releases will stay at their current level or decrease for the rest of the season. That said, there is still surf there as I saw today, but I wouldn't drive very far for it... and I live in Boulder and love my boat. The ledge that makes the hole had maybe 2 inches of water going over it, and while it still formed a retentive (small) wave, you try and put your boat on edge and you will be bouncing off of the rocks. If I am really jonesin' late season I'll head back up there, but for now it's waterton, a good hike, or dreaming of the fantastic snow season we are going to have for me. If I were driving up for a music festival, I would definately bring my boat, and I'd be doin' a rain dance the whole show!
My 2 cents...
Tim
This is my first year watching the O-hole, and I am not optimistic for the rest of the season. I rode my motorcicle up there today, and spoke with a nice guy surfing, flat spins and such, but there is not much water coming out of the tunnel, and the water level was a good foot lower than I had ever seen it. I have read a couple of articles about the Carter lake project, and what I got out of that is that the lake was kept lower this year, and is now much lower than normal for construction purposes. This to me means that there is less water to release, and therefore less chance of it coming back up asside from flash storms. I also checked the guages (yes, there are guages for the O-hole, they have been posted, you want them, find the posts), and looking at the historical data (past 4 years) It appears that the releases will stay at their current level or decrease for the rest of the season. That said, there is still surf there as I saw today, but I wouldn't drive very far for it... and I live in Boulder and love my boat. The ledge that makes the hole had maybe 2 inches of water going over it, and while it still formed a retentive (small) wave, you try and put your boat on edge and you will be bouncing off of the rocks. If I am really jonesin' late season I'll head back up there, but for now it's waterton, a good hike, or dreaming of the fantastic snow season we are going to have for me. If I were driving up for a music festival, I would definately bring my boat, and I'd be doin' a rain dance the whole show!
My 2 cents...
Tim
The show was great! I got up there a little later on Saturday than I thought. So, I went straight to the partying. I was too destroyed to boat Sunday morning and wanted to get back to see the Steelers thrash the Niners. So, it ended up being a great day anyway!
I stopped and looked at October Hole. From a distance it looked WAAAY to low for pretty much anything...and I can't do that much.
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