North Saint Vrain and Boulder Creek

[Chief Niwot]

Barker Res is way down, 30' or so. It looks like a lot of snow up top thou and a winter storm warning for the next day or so.

How is the res above NSV filling up? Is there a good snow pack for it to run this year, at least better then last year?

[crackeryaker]

keep us posted as to the level at barker, not sure how nsv is looking, shouldn't barker be filling somewhat by now?

[Bolivar]

there appears to be more coming out than in so that is bad.

[crackeryaker]

isn't that a spill/over type dam where the outflow will = the inflow, basically at least?

[Chief Niwot]

In terms of Barker, it is down about 30'. The inflow is appox 64cfs from the source, but there is probably more coming in from the Caribou drainage (this is all middle Boulder Creek). Outflow is minimal. Most of the water at the Orodell gauge is coming down the North Boulder Creek and probably Four Mile Canyon drainage.

The dam usually spills in June, if there is a good snow pack. In looking at the snow pack it says Eldora drainage is 108% in terms of snow at 37% in terms of water content average. I sure hope that is wrong. It seems wrong from snow pack that I see up there. I might drive up to Hessie this weekend to see what it looks like in terms of snow.

From my past experience, the North fork can get the creek up to 150 to 180 on its own, marginal to run through town and not enough for the four mile run. Usually, the North fork is coming down when Barker spills.

Lets hope for wet below so that Sr. water right holders are not calling for water out of Barker and it can fill.

BTW, it is snowing hard up here today.

Where are the Lyons paddlers with the NSV update? Arn?

[ACC]

The Lake Eldora snotel reading is probably right. It just means that some of the low elevation snow has melted out. The numbers that count for the souce and Boulder Creek are the higher elevation sites:


NIWOT (11300') (110%)

ROUGH AND TUMBLE (10360') (162%)

UNIVERSITY CAMP (10300') (93%)

So, we are in good shape, and those numbers will bump up a bit after this week, since it is snowing now and should again on weds->thurs.