CO River Basin Flow Studies

1834 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by zbaird, Aug 1, 2014

AW-Evan

Discussion Starter · Jun 5, 2014

American Whitewater needs your feedback! There are currently multiple flow studies going on for reaches in the Colorado River Basin. These studies help us describe how flows affect recreation quality, and identify the range of flows necessary to support the range of whitewater recreation experiences. They aid in negotiating recreational releases and keeping water in the river for all of us to paddle. If you've run any of these stretches please fill out the quick survey so we can continue to inform management on our recreation needs!

Virgin River Gorge (Bloomington and Lower Gorge)

San Rafael Basin (Black Boxes, Little Grand Canyon, Cottonwood Creek Joe's Valley, Ferron Creek, Huntington and Left Hand Fork Huntington)

Ruby Horsetheif, Westwater and Cataract

Thanks,
Evan Stafford

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AW-Evan

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jun 27, 2014

Bump. If you've paddled any of these rivers or creeks listed please fill out the appropriate survey from the links above. It's pretty quick and painless and will help us provide YOU with more paddling opportunities! Muchos Gracias.

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restrac2000

· #3 · Jun 27, 2014

AW-Evan said:
Bump. If you've paddled any of these rivers or creeks listed please fill out the appropriate survey from the links above. It's pretty quick and painless and will help us provide YOU with more paddling opportunities! Muchos Gracias.

Thanks for "bumping" the thread, I did not see it the first time.

I have spent time on many sections of the Virgin and some of the other desert runs listed here.....question is, its been so long and so rare to boat them I can't remember the flows. I don't want to participate if my estimates will skew the data/survey? Do you guys want folks like me who have vague estimates or only those who have a close approximation or written account of levels?

Would love to see some headway on getting better rec flows on these rivers as I live near many of them. Thanks for the effort!

Phillip

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AW-Evan

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 27, 2014

Phillip it'd be best not to take wild guesses but if you can remember when you went you can check the flows for those dates via the USGS gauges listed on the survey or if you have at least a memory of the range the flows were in, within say 1-200 cfs, I think it would still be beneficial to participate. Part of the study assumes that experienced paddlers can estimate and extrapolate the runnability and quality of stretches they have run before at flows they may never have experienced. With that in mind if you have a good feel for what the runs are like then please also participate. Thanks!

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restrac2000

· #5 · Jun 27, 2014

AW-Evan said:
Phillip it'd be best not to take wild guesses but if you can remember when you went you can check the flows for those dates via the USGS gauges listed on the survey or if you have at least a memory of the range the flows were in, within say 1-200 cfs, I think it would still be beneficial to participate. Part of the study assumes that experienced paddlers can estimate and extrapolate the runnability and quality of stretches they have run before at flows they may never have experienced. With that in mind if you have a good feel for what the runs are like then please also participate. Thanks!

Thanks for prompt reply. Will see if I can get the specific dates from the friends I boated with. If it had been for the middle section, from hot springs through preserve, those dates would be easily cross checked with gauges as it was my birthday the last year it flowed. Not sure what years I boated Bloomington down off the top of my head.

May not be much of a help this time since I didn't keep a journal. Wish it ran often enough that I could get that sort of local knowledge. Will see what I can do for valued info ... if not I will have better notes next time.

Phillip

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AW-Evan

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 28, 2014

Time to Bump again. If you've paddled any of these stretches please please please with a cherry on top fill out the appropriate survey.

Virgin River Gorge (Bloomington and Lower Gorge)

San Rafael Basin (Black Boxes, Little Grand Canyon, Cottonwood Creek Joe's Valley, Ferron Creek, Huntington and Left Hand Fork Huntington)

Ruby Horsetheif, Westwater and Cataract

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Andy H.

· #7 · Jul 31, 2014

Just took the survey

Just took the survey - it was easy, painless, only had to think back to what the lowest flows were that I'd consider good. Let's get some more folks on the survey!

Thanks for the work you're doing, Evan!

SYOTR,

-AH

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