powel?

[victorfb]

anyone know what the water levels look like at powel now? i hope all this rain is making it out there aswell. atleast the snow pack is decent this year.

[Mardonzi]

Right now the water level is down approximately 140 ft. The water level hasn't started coming back up yet due to the fact that the Bureau of Reclaimation is releasing the required down river allotments now until March 31. With these increased releases, the level is dropping about 1/3 of an inch a day.
The good news is that with the snow packs being 140-160% of normal in Western Colorado, the rise is anticipated to be in the neighborhood of 50 feet. Not too bad for a single year.

[BoatFloating]

It doesn't matter what it looks like now it matters what the run off in spring brings. They are estimating a 50'-70' increase this spring so it's a start.
Lake Powell Water Level (http://www.summittech.com/LakePowell/LP_WaterDB.php)

[stix818]

It seems that they are filling lake mead. It has gone up about 4% in the last 3 weeks (approx: 4,000 acre feet). I know that they have let very little water from Davis (average 2000 cfm) because of downstream rain so in turn Hoover has also limited water output. Lake Havasu is 2 feet from max from last weeks report. I think one reason they have let so much water out of Glen Canyon is because it allows a little room for error in the event that snow runoff is higher than expected (another 1983 episode when the river floaded here).

[DeepVee]

This came up before, the current high releases from Powell are part of a scheduled experimental flow test going on until the first week of April 2005.
Jan-April Exp. Flow Test (http://137.77.133.1/uc/water/crsp/cs/gcd.html)

[Outnumbered]

The January through March high fluctuating releases are intended to benefit the endangered humpback chub. Scientists have recognized that the humpback chub population has been in general decline since high fluctuating flows were curtailed in November of 1991.
Fcuking liberal enviro wackos :burningm: :burningm: :burningm:

[Raisin Wake]

Chub??????? :confused: You got to be kidding.....

[essexjet]

The January through March high fluctuating releases are intended to benefit the endangered humpback chub. Scientists have recognized that the humpback chub population has been in general decline since high fluctuating flows were curtailed in November of 1991.
Fcuking liberal enviro wackos :burningm: :burningm: :burningm:
My humpback chub comes out in the summer :D :D :D

[burtandnancy]

Mardonzi above is dead on, Powell is down -140 feet due to amount required to be dropped down stream. Mead is up about 12 feet in the last week or so, but is this only a temporary thing? Is the drought over? It took six years to drop to these levels, how fast can it come back. Lets see what the spring melts do for us.

[NuckinFutz]

I was at Bullfrog last week and the launching currently looks pretty good. With the warmer weather coming launching will be slow due to a narrow access to the available ramp area.

[Debbolas]

Gosh, I hope it goes up :wink:

[1ASKYDV]

I was at Bullfrog last week and the launching currently looks pretty good. With the warmer weather coming launching will be slow due to a narrow access to the available ramp area.
Do you know if the halls crossing ferry is working?

[BoatFloating]

Do you know if the halls crossing ferry is working?
The Ferry is still running....
;)

[AzLakeLizard]

The Ferry is still running....
;)
The Ferry has been shut down since November! and they don't expect it to be up and running until around the 15th of April with the spring run off. The Bullfrog Ferry ramp is the one with the issues. Let me tell you that there are many people who are ready for the water to come up to take off some miles on their daily drive! :cry:

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Is the drought over?
It will take a minimum of 3 winters with rain like this year to bring the lake levels back to pre-drought conditions.

[1ASKYDV]

The Ferry has been shut down since November! and they don't expect it to be up and running until around the 15th of April with the spring run off. The Bullfrog Ferry ramp is the one with the issues. Let me tell you that there are many people who are ready for the water to come up to take off some miles on their daily drive! :cry:
Thanks for the info....I have another question for you! Are you familiar with the road from Flagstaff up to Halls Crossing? If so, is the road maintained well enough to pull the boat that way?
Thanks for the help.

[Sleek-Jet]

Thanks for the info....I have another question for you! Are you familiar with the road from Flagstaff up to Halls Crossing? If so, is the road maintained well enough to pull the boat that way?
Thanks for the help.
Yep. You can't take the cut off from Mexican Hat, you'll need to pull all the way up to Blanding, then take the Highway 95 west toward Hite/Hanksville The signs lead the way. It's a good road, there's a couple steep hills just outside of Blanding, then one big pull (about 10 miles long) out of Combs Wash.
Utah's roads are well maintained, you shouldn't have a problem. And other than the traffic through Monument Valley/Kayenta area, it's a cool drive.

[Holland]

Spoke to NPS about this. THey are projecting it to be up 60 feet. But their numbers still make it 12 feet short of being able to leave wahweap and heading straight out. Will still have to take the channel around. This is per NPS... not me. That is painful in a houseboat... I may pass on Powell this year (It would be the first time in years I did not go)
Hope this gives insight as to where it is expected to be.
Oh yea, I was talking to NPS at the Az Boat show... There was nothing else to do there. :sleeping:

[1ASKYDV]

Yep. You can't take the cut off from Mexican Hat, you'll need to pull all the way up to Blanding, then take the Highway 95 west toward Hite/Hanksville The signs lead the way. It's a good road, there's a couple steep hills just outside of Blanding, then one big pull (about 10 miles long) out of Combs Wash.
Utah's roads are well maintained, you shouldn't have a problem. And other than the traffic through Monument Valley/Kayenta area, it's a cool drive.
Thanks. :cool:

[AzLakeLizard]

Thanks for the info....I have another question for you! Are you familiar with the road from Flagstaff up to Halls Crossing? If so, is the road maintained well enough to pull the boat that way?
Thanks for the help.
We drive from Page to Hall Crossing with our motor home and pulling our Jeep when we do the Hole in the Rock run. I have seen many people going that direction with boats in tow. You will drive from Flagstaff to just before Page.. turn right onto Hwy 98 heading towards Kayenta and then you can either take the Mexican Hat route or the Mexican Water route.. we with our motor home and trailered jeep made it around the tight turn on the Mexican Hat route. .. or you could just launch at Wahweap.. and hang out with the Page Locals... lol :cool:

[AzLakeLizard]

Spoke to NPS about this. THey are projecting it to be up 60 feet. But their numbers still make it 12 feet short of being able to leave wahweap and heading straight out. Will still have to take the channel around. This is per NPS... not me. That is painful in a houseboat... I may pass on Powell this year (It would be the first time in years I did not go)
Hope this gives insight as to where it is expected to be.
Oh yea, I was talking to NPS at the Az Boat show... There was nothing else to do there. :sleeping:
Oh don't pass on Powell!.. to much fun to be had out here!.. We took a houseboat out in October when TnB and some cali friends of ours came up, put TnB in tow.. and partied up the lake.. was a great time.. just have to leave a bit earlier and avoid the TOUR BOAT...lol :jawdrop:

[1ASKYDV]

We drive from Page to Hall Crossing with our motor home and pulling our Jeep when we do the Hole in the Rock run. I have seen many people going that direction with boats in tow. You will drive from Flagstaff to just before Page.. turn right onto Hwy 98 heading towards Kayenta and then you can either take the Mexican Hat route or the Mexican Water route.. we with our motor home and trailered jeep made it around the tight turn on the Mexican Hat route. .. or you could just launch at Wahweap.. and hang out with the Page Locals... lol :cool:
Thanks..I wish I could launch at Wahweap, it would mean a lot less driving, but my brother in law has a houseboat in Bullfrog. Free houseboat trip = driving to Bullfrog. :D :D

[AzLakeLizard]

Thanks..I wish I could launch at Wahweap, it would mean a lot less driving, but my brother in law has a houseboat in Bullfrog. Free houseboat trip = driving to Bullfrog. :D :D
:D Can't pass up on those free houseboat trips! :D

[Sleek-Jet]

I'd turn off at Tuba City, comming from Flag, but that's just me.
Stop at Gouldings on the way through Monument Valley and have a Navajo Taco.... mmmmmm.....
If you're going to Bullfrog, you might look at taking I-15 up to 70, then get off outside of Green River and head down through Hanksville to the Bullfrog turnoff. Of course you'll miss out on Monument Valley and all the scenery, and it's longer, but on the plus side it's Interstate most of the way.

[Mardonzi]

I'd turn off at Tuba City, comming from Flag, but that's just me.
Stop at Gouldings on the way through Monument Valley and have a Navajo Taco.... mmmmmm.....
If you're going to Bullfrog, you might look at taking I-15 up to 70, then get off outside of Green River and head down through Hanksville to the Bullfrog turnoff. Of course you'll miss out on Monument Valley and all the scenery, and it's longer, but on the plus side it's Interstate most of the way.
Or if you have the time, go througth Zions, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, and then into Hanksville and Bullfrog. Not the most direct route, but it's a trip you would never forget...

[1ASKYDV]

I'd turn off at Tuba City, comming from Flag, but that's just me.
Stop at Gouldings on the way through Monument Valley and have a Navajo Taco.... mmmmmm.....
If you're going to Bullfrog, you might look at taking I-15 up to 70, then get off outside of Green River and head down through Hanksville to the Bullfrog turnoff. Of course you'll miss out on Monument Valley and all the scenery, and it's longer, but on the plus side it's Interstate most of the way.
Ya, I considered that route, but the boat is kept in Havasu, so I figured from Havasu going through Flag was the quickest.

[Mardonzi]

Ya, I considered that route, but the boat is kept in Havasu, so I figured from Havasu going through Flag was the quickest.
Flagstaff over is the quickest way... And it is possible to trailer a boat up the Moqui Dugway (the "shortcut" out of Mexican Hat). Aramark, the local concessionaire, drags their semi trailers up it and we have had our 32' motorhome with a 22 ft jeep trailer on it a couple of times. If time is the most important to you, you might want to consider just launching at Antelope Point and running the boat uplake from there.

[BoatFloating]

The Ferry has been shut down since November! and they don't expect it to be up and running until around the 15th of April with the spring run off. The Bullfrog Ferry ramp is the one with the issues. Let me tell you that there are many people who are ready for the water to come up to take off some miles on their daily drive! :cry:
My mistake. I went here (http://www.wayneswords.com/primative.htm) and looked at the picture and it looked like it said Jan 2005 but it said 2003. The web site above is a good site for Lake Powell info.

[Sleek-Jet]

Flagstaff over is the quickest way... And it is possible to trailer a boat up the Moqui Dugway (the "shortcut" out of Mexican Hat). Aramark, the local concessionaire, drags their semi trailers up it and we have had our 32' motorhome with a 22 ft jeep trailer on it a couple of times. If time is the most important to you, you might want to consider just launching at Antelope Point and running the boat uplake from there.
No kidding?? They must have done some work on that road, last time I was over it, there was no way you could take anything that size.

[Sleek-Jet]

Or if you have the time, go througth Zions, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, and then into Hanksville and Bullfrog. Not the most direct route, but it's a trip you would never forget...
Be sure to stop by Cedar Breaks if you go that way...
Hell, before we're done, he'll need a week to get there... lol. :D

[1ASKYDV]

Be sure to stop by Cedar Breaks if you go that way...
Hell, before we're done, he'll need a week to get there... lol. :D
Thanks for all the info...I might just take the week to get there. :D
Any other advise/info for the northern part of the lake?

[Flying Tiger]

Check this link:
http://www.riverratlife.com/forums/board/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003445
If anyone wants a graph showing the lower Colorado fill & release rates they can PM me and I'll fax them one.

[Sleek-Jet]

Thanks for all the info...I might just take the week to get there. :D
Any other advise/info for the northern part of the lake?
See, now you're thinking... :D
Depending on the lake level, the Northern part of Powell is completely different from Page/Wawhep area.
I've boated most of the time up around Good Hope Bay/Farley Canyon/White Canyon area, about 35-40 miles up river from Halls. Once you get about 10 miles above Halls/Bullfrog, you have the entire lake to yourself. But with the low water levels, I don't know how many canyons are dry, I haven't been back in a few years.
The San Juan arm is awesome, and you can get away from most of the crowds there as well.
Hanson Creek (about 10 miles above Halls) used to be a good hang out, lots of sandy beaches, but it might be dry now too.
The upper ends of Halls and Bullfrog bay are nice, the water is shallow and it get's bath warm.
I've been boating on Powell for the better part of my life, and there are still parts of the lake I've never been to.

[1ASKYDV]

Flagstaff over is the quickest way... And it is possible to trailer a boat up the Moqui Dugway (the "shortcut" out of Mexican Hat). Aramark, the local concessionaire, drags their semi trailers up it and we have had our 32' motorhome with a 22 ft jeep trailer on it a couple of times. If time is the most important to you, you might want to consider just launching at Antelope Point and running the boat uplake from there.
Is the road through this shortcut paved? Some maps I have been seeing shows it as "unpaved switchbacks" With 60 ft of truck & boat I would hate to get tied up through there!! :p

[Mardonzi]

Is the road through this shortcut paved? Some maps I have been seeing shows it as "unpaved switchbacks" With 60 ft of truck & boat I would hate to get tied up through there!! :p The turns are paved, and the rest of the road is graded gravel. You won't set any land speed records going up it but it is considerably shorter. Like I was saying, Aramark drives up it with a 45' tractor/ trailer rig. As far as the switchbacks go, the turns are plenty wide enough to make them, but if you have a wife that hates heights, like AZ Lake Lizard (Mrs Mardonzi), wear a good set of earplugs.

[NuckinFutz]

If time is of an issue I'd launch at Hall's, the ramp if far better than Bullfrog and there is no lines. It only takes a couple minutes to boat across to Bullfrog. I didn't see when you are planning to be at Powell, but things to see all depends on where the water is at when you get there. Right now Hansen Creek is not worth the venture for beaches. Places to see with water levels this summer are- Lost Eden, kinda the local place to party, but be smart as the NPS also know it's the party place, down the lake on the west side just south of Lost Eden is a pretty cool little arch that if you want you can climb up the rocks and dive off into the water through, and Tapestry wall up the lake is always impressive for first timers. Beaches come and go weekly, but Bullfrog Bay still has some decent ones as well as some in Halls Creek. Down the lake there are some just north of the Rincon and Good Hope Bay looked good this last fall as well. Just shoot me a time you'll be there and even better a private message when the time comes and I'll let ya know what the latest is. I'm planning my first trip here pretty quick and then will be going as often as I can afford the $3.00 gallon gas.

[1ASKYDV]

The turns are paved, and the rest of the road is graded gravel. You won't set any land speed records going up it but it is considerably shorter. Like I was saying, Aramark drives up it with a 45' tractor/ trailer rig. As far as the switchbacks go, the turns are plenty wide enough to make them, but if you have a wife that hates heights, like AZ Lake Lizard (Mrs Mardonzi), wear a good set of earplugs.
Thanks.

[1ASKYDV]

If time is of an issue I'd launch at Hall's, the ramp if far better than Bullfrog and there is no lines. It only takes a couple minutes to boat across to Bullfrog. I didn't see when you are planning to be at Powell, but things to see all depends on where the water is at when you get there. Right now Hansen Creek is not worth the venture for beaches. Places to see with water levels this summer are- Lost Eden, kinda the local place to party, but be smart as the NPS also know it's the party place, down the lake on the west side just south of Lost Eden is a pretty cool little arch that if you want you can climb up the rocks and dive off into the water through, and Tapestry wall up the lake is always impressive for first timers. Beaches come and go weekly, but Bullfrog Bay still has some decent ones as well as some in Halls Creek. Down the lake there are some just north of the Rincon and Good Hope Bay looked good this last fall as well. Just shoot me a time you'll be there and even better a private message when the time comes and I'll let ya know what the latest is. I'm planning my first trip here pretty quick and then will be going as often as I can afford the $3.00 gallon gas.
Thanks for the info...we are going to be there the last week in july through the first week in august. I'll hit you up when the date gets close to get your opinion on places to go.

[DeepVee]

Spoke to NPS about this. THey are projecting it to be up 60 feet. But their numbers still make it 12 feet short of being able to leave wahweap and heading straight out. Will still have to take the channel around. This is per NPS... not me. That is painful in a houseboat... I may pass on Powell this year (It would be the first time in years I did not go)
Hope this gives insight as to where it is expected to be.
Oh yea, I was talking to NPS at the Az Boat show... There was nothing else to do there. :sleeping:
I don't know about that 12 more feet deal. The last time I was able to get through the Castle Rock cut the lake was 60' down from full pool and the water was only 10' deep with a very narrow channel. I think we need a lot more water before we can go up the cut.
Also, they are supposed to be working on extending the public ramp at Antelope which is a way better alternative then Wawheap or Stateline when heading up lake. If it opens back up this season I'll switch from Stateline to Antelope.

[Holland]

I don't know about that 12 more feet deal. The last time I was able to get through the Castle Rock cut the lake was 60' down from full pool and the water was only 10' deep with a very narrow channel. I think we need a lot more water before we can go up the cut.
Also, they are supposed to be working on extending the public ramp at Antelope which is a way better alternative then Wawheap or Stateline when heading up lake. If it opens back up this season I'll switch from Stateline to Antelope.
Yeah... I havent tried Antelope yet... The cutover was info that I got from NPS... Last year, the normal cutover looked like a mountain range!!! I think they were a little optomistic???

[DogHouse]

If you're driving to Halls definitely take the shortcut out of Mexican Hat to the north. If nothing else, it's great for the view as you approach this huge cliff with no road in sight. You're thinking "where the @$#%! is the road", and then it appears, and you wind your way up the side of the cliff. Really beautiful drive, and a perfectly good road, wide and nicely graded gravel when I was there.

[mtndewdrops]

This has been posted before, but since the water levels are such a hot topic, here you go... :clover:
Snow Levels (http://www.summittech.com/LakePowell/Snowpack/LP_Snowpack.html)

[AzLakeLizard]

This has been posted before, but since the water levels are such a hot topic, here you go... :clover:
Snow Levels (http://www.summittech.com/LakePowell/Snowpack/LP_Snowpack.html)
We are just ready for some sunshine so we can get out there and enjoy the lake before it gets busy.. this time of year maybe cooler but what a great time out on the lake.. glassy, quiet and very enjoyable! :D