whats up with the flows on gunni?

ski_kayak365 · 02-10-2005

So is gunny really running 950, or is the gauge frozen? Anyone know if the road down is open, or would it be easier to sled down?

westfall · 02-12-2005

I just looked at the flows and the dam people have been stepping it up in roughly 100cfs increments so it looks like they are real releases. It makes me wonder why their doing it now. Maybe they think there's so much water down there that they have to get rid of it before the big spring runoff? :P

As far as boating over there the flow site shows the water temperature is about 1.5C. Whether you can get in or not that's about 10 miles of paddling in some really cold water!

here's the site:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09128000

Does anyone know why they are doing those releases now? Is this a sign of a good water year to come?

RDNEK · 02-12-2005

Word around the campfire is that they are going to do releases to get some water down to help with the low water at Powell. I have also heard that they are planning a 4,000 to 5,000 cfs release to simulate a flood and wash out the canyons. The "flood" is not a sure thing but this could happen this summer. Also word is that they believe that there will be enough water to significantly raise Blue Mesa this year so they are moving some of the water now.

milo · 02-12-2005

hey RDNCK, um where is your campfire...? i wanna bring some wood and hang out and listen to "the word around the campfire"....who's been hanging out around your campfire and when did you hear this? it would make sense because of our snowfall this year(dumping right now)...to try to move some water on.....the gunni gorge would be super fun at those levels....i've heard the "upper section" is unrunnable near or past 3,000cfs! wonder if you could make it out in a kayak below the beach camp! hike down the S.O.B. and take a look with all that water....the ground would have to shake!!!!DRINK BEER/smoke and watch the mighty gunny go OFF!!........ winter run thru the HOLE?

Schizzle · 02-28-2005

Anyone want to run the lower gorge on Saturday if the weather's nice? What's the chances of some surf being down there at 1100?

El Flaco · 02-28-2005

The upper section (if you're talking about Chukar down) is totally good to go at high water- I think the highest I've been down is about 2800 (in 1995), and it's still mostly big class III. I know some folks that have been down at close to 5000 the same year, and it's still pretty manageable.

There's plenty of great play at 1000 cfs - my cutoff is about 800 -but that's a cold mutha right now. The paddle out is still slow.

deepsouthpaddler · 03-01-2005

I have been planning a commercial trip in May, and the outfitter noted that they have been releasing water to prepare for the extra water anticipated during run off. Most likely they want to keep manageable flows during the season so that the commercial trips etc won't get their butts kicked at high water. Many of the outfitters do fishing and photography trips etc, and for those, high water is not necessarily good. One outfitter also mentioned the possibility of a 4000 cfs release to push sediment down the stream. That should be fun! No word on exactly when it would be, but thoughts were in the spring.

milo · 03-02-2005

yes, the gunni gorge is good to go at all levels...although, i've never seen it above 5300 cfs...at that level, with today's boats and whackey yakers i could see people going off on the giant waves...wall splats? one on river left towards the start is super fun and not undercut until the end...you could splat-wheel until you vomit!! it's much longer than 150 feet!..... good choice deepsouthpaddler, wild life(bears, MTN LIONS, eagles, mtn sheep, deer, elk, ringtail cats and um rattlesnakes and ticks
)....beautiful scenery, great(WORLD CLASS) fishing.....some lush ivy patches to green things up! i am not saying you are entering the food chain but keep an eye on little people if they go....good luck puttin a trip together....