Lower Yuba - Min flow for drift boat

[CharlieB]

Hi,

New to this forum and a new owner of an old woodie drift boat. I have had several awesome days on the Lower Yuba in flows from 1000-800 cfs. I'm curious how it runs at current flows, now in the lower 600s.

Thanks,
Charlie

[Rossflyguy]

I was there Sunday and some parts are SHALLOW. It maybe doable though. I saw a drift boat there but never saw him pass the island and that was around 3pm.

[Hogan Brown]

Charlie, I have been on the river about 8 days in the last 2 weeks (latest was yesterday) and it is skinny but do able. There are about 3 dicey spots with little room/margin for error...not like you will wreck your boat but you will get shoved into trees/bushees and rocks or take on some serious water. That said if you are a competent rower you will be fine and there is enough water to get a boat down the river. Good luck and have fun! lots of good fishing going on out there right now.

[Ralph]

The Y is ramping down to paint scraping flows of around 500 cfs (it's been @ 700 the past couple of weeks). Except for runoff pulses I would expect this to be the target through February. These are the negotiated low flows per the Yuba Accord.

[sierraangler]

Is it safe to assume a raft is good to go?

[Ralph]

Is it safe to assume a raft is good to go?

I wouldn't suggest a novice go down at these flows. There are some spots where it's a thin line between good water and getting drug through sweepers and low hanging branches. There are a few spots where you might wrap if you're asleep at the wheel. Knowing he'll scrape, maybe drag in a few spots, any competent oarsman will do fine. Give yourself a bit of extra time.