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Thread: Lower Yuba - Min flow for drift boat

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Berkeley
    Posts
    1

    Default Lower Yuba - Min flow for drift boat

    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

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    East Bay
    Posts
    681

    Default

    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.

  3. #3

    Default

    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.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    the Lost Sierra
    Posts
    750

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    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Tahoe
    Posts
    50

    Default

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

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    the Lost Sierra
    Posts
    750

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sierraangler View Post
    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.

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