With the snowpack well above average this year the dam release flows will be much higher than usual for the Green River in Utah. The Bureau of Reclamation has issued release Flows at 4600 CFS throughout March, and are likely to continue to increase as the season goes on. Don’t let high water scare you- nymph fishing should be good! And the dry fly fishing after the flush is typically extraordinary.
Snowpack levels are above average and near 200% this year. Expect higher than average water flows through at least March 2017. See info from the Bureau of Reclamation below (to read the full article click the link here):
“(Last Updated:February 13, 2017)
Releases are currently 1,800 cfs and will be increasing within the allowable parameters of the Record of Decision, limiting increases to 50 cfs/day through the end of February. Releases will be increased to 3,000 cfs through March 2, 2017, according to the linked schedule. The February water supply forecast of the April through July unregulated inflow volume into Flaming Gorge Reservoir is 1.65 million acre-feet (169 percent of average). Additional storms throughout the basin increased the current projection to 2 maf (~200 percent of average). Current snowpack is 180 percent of median and we have received 124 percent of the seasonal peak for the Upper Green Basin with additional storm systems anticipated through February.
Flaming Gorge will be operated with the utmost caution to address the forecasted runoff. Extended bypass releases will be required to manage the runoff this year. Reclamation is advising all its stakeholders early of the extended bypass releases so that planning for the season may occur.
The Yampa River Basin has not seen commensurate snowpack accumulation to the Upper Green. The February final forecast for Yampa River flows during the April-July period is 1.4 maf (113 percent of average), with the most recent raw model guidance decreasing to 1.377 maf. Yampa River flows are largely uncontrolled, which means the current forecast provides potential relief to forecasted peak magnitude flows this spring as compared against 2011. There is always the potential of increased snow accumulation within the Yampa River Basin, so please plan accordingly.
The February final forecast for inflows for the next three months projects above average conditions: February, March and April forecasted inflow volumes at 50,000 af (112 percent of average), 135,000 af (132 percent of average), and 225,000 af (169 percent of average), respectively. “
See the full article here
With the signal of the endangered razorback sucker larvae presence high water flows started last week on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam, UT. The increased CFS will last one to two weeks eventually peaking at 8,600 CFS with current flows at 7,000 CFS. Read more about the flows from the Bureau of Reclamation here, and for current conditions from the U.S. Geological Survey click here.
The high water flows and the near absent cicada hatch thus far have the dry fly action at a low. Try nymphing with a worm, egg, or scud, or a huck a streamer!
