how low is low water on the Ark.

Larry Berger · 08-12-2005

How low does it have to be for an open boater not to have much fun on the Ark? Plan on coming up last weekend of Aug. to do Narrows and Browns Canyon and not sure if there will be enough water for it to be fun. Any advice would be appricated.
Thank you!
Larry

squirtboater · 08-12-2005

We've done low-water squirting on Brown's down to 500-600 level. It's mightly low until you reach the canyon, but then the river narrows a bit and the channel gets deeper. It's not super fun and it gets more picky-technical, but it's still wet. Keep your eyes open for the deep channels. I'd definitely recommend the Ruby Mountain put-in for reduced damage to the hull, since it knocks off a fair distance of low-water torture

in the shallows.

Sorry. I have no low-water advice for Numbers.

icedoutplaya · 08-12-2005

At that time of year you are looking at flows from 250-450 CFS. I would recomend that you avoid the narrows (AKA the shallows) then. They are not fun at those flows. You should consider doing the numbers. In late august they are class III, and should be okay for an open boat. Browns is alos runnable at those flows with a few tight spots and a couple of eddy lines.
IOP

COUNT · 08-16-2005

I've done Browns down to 360 but it wasn't much fun: I wouldn't do it below 450. Numbers is good down to 300.

Clair · 08-16-2005

browns dropped to 400 overnight and numbers to 270. if it doesn't come up from there (AKA if we don't get any rain) i'd pass!

Clair · 08-16-2005

browns dropped to 400 overnight and numbers to 270. if it doesn't come up from there (AKA if we don't get any rain) i'd pass!

benpetri · 08-17-2005

Do the royal gorge instead. More scenic, better rapids at this flow, a tad more water, and its more confined so there is less shallow junk to grind through.