Colorado Flows/Runnoff 2006?

[Steve Kahn]

hey experienced CO boaters - anyone have an idea about flows this year? do you think that we've generally peaked already? i know things vary from drainage to drainage, but i seem to see some things going down already. i keep waiting for clear creek to start cranking (i was sure we'd be well over 1000 this year), and it seems to me that the south platte drainage maybe starts and ends later (still waiting on boulder creek and NSV)...while elsewhere in the state it wouldn't shock me if we've peaked already.

what about poudre? anyone think it is still going to go up? or eagle/roaring fork/ark?

also, as far as clear creek goes, do flows have anything to do with georgetown lake, and releases there? seems to me like it would, but i never hear people talking about CC flows in relation to releases like other resevoir fed rivers/creeks.

just wondering if anyone has any knowledge, and how much i really need to get out there now! -

when do we usually peak?

is boulder creek going to run?

[Phillips]

I guess April in the hills was really windy. Sublimation happened. Sublimation is the transformation of solid water (snow) to vapor. I also now that there were quite a few dust storms last year which cause snow to melt much quicker than it normally would. Most of these storms originate in China, which is odd. Sometimes the spring snow might have a pinkish tint to it or it may look like your goggles are smeared. If this is the case, then chinese dust storms have occurred. Anyway, yes things have probrably peaked.

Kent

[Andy H.]

You better get it while the gettin's good.

Barring a really good monsoon season, we've peaked this year and things are dropping. Hopefully we'll get some good rains in the high country.

Check this out.

http://www.co.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/sno.../swe_time.html

[KUpolo]

I think Clear Creek peaked this weekend

[Ole Rivers]

I check various rivers' flows a bunch at

http://<a href="http://www.dwr.state...ng early June.

[asleep.at.the.oars]

RE: Dust on the snow

NPR has had a story about this each of the last two days:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5415308

and

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5415315

In addition to what blows in from China, it sounds like to help the snow pack in Colorado we need to outlaw 4-wheeling in Utah...

[Matt J]

I don't think the Poudre's peaked yet. In general the latest frontal systems have had a cooling effect on the higher altitude's in this watershed. A drive up to the pass reveals a lot of snow. Without any data to back my statement (I didn't see any relevent data on the other links either, the latest collections were in March) I'd say if we've peaked then we're going to see 3 to 3.5 feet for at least another month and a high country heat blast could give us a day or two above 4 again. We certainly lost a lot of snowpack to sublimation but not all of it. I think you'll find most of the USGS data to come from a reclamation point of view in which the Poudre as well as the St. Vrain, Boulder Creek, Clear Creek, and Bailey just as a few examples are all considered the South Platte drainage whereas they will all respond differently to microclimatic change as well as man-made demands. For instance pumping water through a mountain to feed Bailey which is at least 120 miles as the crow flies from Cameron Pass snow melt may have the same net effect on Greeley's water supply but has an entirely different effect on paddlers in either location or on the Blue.

[marko]

I think there is a second "smaller" peak on the way for some drainages. The same thing happened last year...remember? The Ark had 2 peaks last year, one in late May the other in mid June. There was a significant cool down in the Ark valley this past 4 days, and even some snow the other night up in Leadville and the surrounding mountains.

I think that some of you front rangers forget that it is quite a bit cooler up here in the mountains.

Have faith...there is still some water to be had!

[Force]

forget it, the Colorado snowpack is cashed and not really worth the gas money it would take to get out here. and if you live here I would sell all you gear and take up the sport of the future, freestyle walking.

[festivus]

Its over boys.