American River going up as predicted...

[STEELIES/26c3]

Date / Time REL SCH
04/05/2017 20:00 8500 cfs
04/11/2017 08:00 9000 cfs
04/11/2017 09:00 10000 cfs

[Sheepdog8404]

Any ideas as to how long those flows might persist?

[tascaso]

June? July? Depends on how fast the snow melts. Remember going up into the Sierra's after a winter like this in July and still seeing the rivers running high and lots of snow at altitude.

[JasonB]

Based on the temps, and watching the diurnal fluctuations of the streams above the dams, I'd say it still looks very much like what I call the "pre-melt". We're seeing the snowmelt start to dribble, so to speak, but not seeing the really big pulses coming down just yet. In other words: we've got a lot more water still on the way and I would not be surprised to see flows go UP rather than DOWN, even on streams like the lower American below the dams.

It'll still fish though
JB

[hwchubb]

Inflow to Folsom is 12K, it's at 70% or so. Doesn't sound like much of a shock absorber for everything still in the mountains... Will be a challenging shad season for us land-based po' folk!

[STEELIES/26c3]

Inflow to Folsom is now at 25,000 cfs
I expect to see the Lower American flows jump up to 15,000 cfs in the next few days.
As for summer releases... I don't think we will see flows below 5,000 cfs until August, long after the shad are gone.
They will still come just as the steelhead came and just as the stripers are now in... you just have to adjust how and where you fish and fish water you would not have thought to fish in the last 5-6 years...

[STEELIES/26c3]

Guess I was wrong about the "few days" part...
I just checked and well, here ya go:

Date: Tue, Apr 18, 2017 at 10:41 AM
Subject: Nimbus Dam – Change Order
Please make the following release changes to the American River
Date Time From (cfs) To (cfs)
04/19/2017 0800 10,000 12,500
04/19/2017 1000 12,500 15,000
Comment: Storage management
Issued by: P. Manza

[JasonB]

To think, the last couple years we were all grumbling about the drought and dismal flows... From 500cfs to 15000cfs! Feast or famine I guess. Unfortunately, I strongly suspect that May flows are going to be more in the 20000cfs range, 10000cfs range for June (or more). Might not drop below 5000cfs till after Labor Day? Score one for the fish I guess, it looks like a tricky year for certain; still fish to be had though, and tons to learn...
JB

[Sheepdog8404]

I keep hearing about striped bass in the AR so I'm going to try, huck duck and strip.

They're here... Jason and I made it out on Friday. We worked hard ALL DAY for 2 fish. Lots of fishy looking water at 10K. We were bummed to have most of gristmill area ruined by 2, maybe 3 sea lions. If you can get out and find some fishable water at these flows, you should be able to find a fish.