American River Flows

[Adam Grace]

The American River flows will be changing to the folowing levels.

Lower American future flows......


Date Begin End From
To

2/09/05 2000 2400 2,500
cfs 8,000 cfs

2/11/05 2000 2300 8,000
cfs 6,000 cfs

2/12/05 2000 2300 6,000
cfs 4,000 cfs

2/13/05 2000 2400 4,000
cfs 3,500 cfs
2/14/05 2000 2400 3,500
cfs 3,000 cfs
2/15/05 2000 2400 3,000
cfs 2,500 cfs


Comment: Flood control/pulse flow for fishery management




I wonder what this will do to the fish and the fishing. I thought that you guys would like to see this info. - Adam

[David Lee]

Adam , I'll tell you what this will do to the fishing .....
Dropping the flows from 8000CFS to 2500CFS in a week is going to STRAND Alevins and Smolts in puddles and backwater sloughs . I know this because I see it every year - nothing will piss you off like seeing little game fish getting worked over in a drying puddle .
It normaly happens in March ... The 'Coons and Herons have an easy meal , bring a bucket so ya can rescue the little fellas (your hat isn't worth a crap for scooping little fish up ...) .
Pray for rain - David

[Darian]

Hello everyone,..... Interesting how this occurs every year.... One of the many reasons that draw downs occur at Folsom Dam is due to an agreement between the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) and the Fed's. That agreement was struck many years ago and requires Folsom Lake be maintained at a specific level, regardless of in-flow, for flood protection for Sacto/surrounding areas. If memory serves me correctly, that agreement was struck shortly after the 1986 high water year that almost breached the levees near Campus Commons, etc.

That agreement should be open for re-evaluation in view of the recent upgrading of the levees in and around the American River drainage. Federal flood zone maps are currently in the process of being re-drawn.... Insurance for the affected areas will no longer be required for the financing of homes....

Wonder if the agreement is on the agenda This might be a prime opportunity for local FF clubs to inquire..... Maybe do something for in-stream flows....

[Moose]

Adam, If I'm reading the numbers correctly it looks like they are going to shoot bursts of high water down the river and not maintain the high flows. You show numbers starting at current flow levels, then shooting up several thousand cfs, then stepping back down in a single day. Is this correct?

This sounds dangerous to recreational users. How many guys are going to walk out on a knee deep gravel bar somewhere and find themselves quickly unable to get back out of there?

What website is this info found on? Could you post a link?

[Moose]

Adam, If I'm reading the numbers correctly it looks like they are going to shoot bursts of high water down the river and not maintain the high flows. You show numbers starting at current flow levels, then shooting up several thousand cfs, then stepping back down in a single day. Is this correct?

This sounds dangerous to recreational users. How many guys are going to walk out on a knee deep gravel bar somewhere and find themselves quickly unable to get back out of there?

What website is this info found on? Could you post a link?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We were in a long draught cycle for a few years in the '80s and we went to Christmas Island in mid-February.

After a week down there we got back to over nigth on Oahou and we saw on the TV news there was terrible flooding in Nor Cal. 1984?

That is maybe why they are drawing dow the reservoirs?

[Adam Grace]

Moose, I received that information on an e-mail from Bill. I do not know how Bill gets his information from but I beleive that it is very accurate. I have heard that the large increase of flows wil occour around 12 0'clock at night so that nobody gets hurt or killed.

The information that I posted was everything on my e-mail.