Colorado River is Low

[RiverToysJas]

News Flash:::
They just reported on KTLA News that the Colorado River is at an all time low, since they've been keeping records. They said water usage cuts could be coming to the LA area.
RTJas :D

[beached1]

So I guess we won't be seeing too much of the 30' Scarabs racing down the Parker strip this season? Damn!

[HBjet]

No, just 29 and 34 foot Magics
HBjet

[Liberator TJ1984]

You could always drive down here !! all our Lakes are flooded out the ass !! hang out with us and party...then before ya leave everyone could fill their boats up with water so you'll have water at home!!!! :D

[HOSS]

Yeah, and buy new axles for trailer this winter.

[KC]

launching at Windsor this past weekend, I pushed the boat off the trailer and walked it over to the docks in waist deep water. didn't lower the prop until beyond the "no-wake" markers.
KC

[HavasuDreamin']

KC:
launching at Windsor this past weekend, I pushed the boat off the trailer and walked it over to the docks in waist deep water. didn't lower the prop until beyond the "no-wake" markers.
KCWow, I have never seen it that low. Guess that is why RTJ said it is at an all time low! wink

[Havasu_Dreamin]

The flow report can be found here. (http://www.coloradoriverinfo.com/waterflowreports/02report07.22.html)

[2LKHVSU]

If you think it is low now. The flow report says it is going to drop another foot and a half starting August 5th.
A couple years ago, the water was so low the only place to launch was site six. Keep this in mind if you get to the marina or Windsor, and it is closed.
Good Luck
:)

[grog]

I hate to say it... but you better enjoy it while it's there. Here in CO, it's hard to find a lake that has water in it - all used up because of the drought. Everything is low (including the CO River) or drying up... sucks big time.
Hopefully we'll get some big snow this year... that will help. As it stands now, the experts say it will take several years to regain what has been depleted... if we get it.
Hell, I'd be happy with just some rain once in a while. Too hot - too many fires.
Ok, enough bitchin...
g

[Boatcop]

So I guess we won't be seeing too much of the 30' Scarabs racing down the Parker strip this season? The Parker Strip won't have any impact from lower water levels. Since it feeds irrigation canals, the water must be kept fairly constant. Power demands from PArker Dam also keep this part of the River flowing at normal levels.
Now the LAKES are another matter.

[grog]

I just checked the levels at Lake Powell - 67' down from max water line... ouch! Still alot of lake left though... it just may look a little different.
For those of you that are interested, a good site for Powell info is www.wayneswords.com (http://www.wayneswords.com) - check the bbs area. There's a bunch on the PWC ban, current fuel prices, lake levels/ramp conditions, etc...
g

[Instigator28]

Is Fritz out there. I need some imput. I hear that we are going to have an el nino this year. Last time that meant a shit load of rain and we got just what they said. I heard that this el nino will make for an especially dry winter. I can't imagine dryer that we just had. Which is it, wet or dry? Or, wait and see and just shut the f##k up?

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Instigator28:
Is Fritz out there. I need some imput. I hear that we are going to have an el nino this year.Well, I happen to work for the place that manages the satellite that provides the data for El Nino predictions, if I read anything, I'll let everyone here know.

[RiverToysJas]

Havasu_Dreamin
Well, I happen to work for the place that manages the satellite that provides the data for El Nino predictions, if I read anything, I'll let everyone here know.[/QB]Please don't clowd our opinions with facts! wink
RTJas :D

[KC]

we need the rain big time, especially in the upper basins.
from talking to the businesses in havasu, it sounds like they are have one of their stongest seasons due to the influx of people. seems people are converging on havasu sisnce it is one of the only lakes without a 50' water mark....
let it rain baby!
KC

[257]

Don't give all the damn water to the farmers
and indians check the canels full over the edge

[BlownCole]

257:
Don't give all the damn water to the farmers
and indians check the canels full over the edgeDon't give all the damn water to the farmers, huh the farmers pay dearly for that water, and if they don't get it what the f*&k are you going to eat

[flat broke]

grog:
I just checked the levels at Lake Powell - 67' down from max water line... ouch! Still alot of lake left though... it just may look a little different.
For those of you that are interested, a good site for Powell info is www.wayneswords.com (http://www.wayneswords.com) - check the bbs area. There's a bunch on the PWC ban, current fuel prices, lake levels/ramp conditions, etc...
gJust got back from a week at Powell. Glad to say that the levels weren't as bad as some had made them out to be. According to the rangers, the lake is down about 36' from usual (high water hit in 83 when snowpack was underestimated and they couldn't dump H2O fast enough)and losing about 2"/day. I have some pics that I'll post sometime tomorrow or Monday that will give a good idea of what the lake looks like. Yes there are shallow areas, but none of them are in the main river channel. And for the record, El Nino=wet. Its a slight warming in the ocean temps that usually yields an excellerated evaporative cycle and more rainfall. The only question will be if the storms make it out of the southern waters and to the mountains or not.
Chris

[WaltersCamp]

Instigator28:
Is Fritz out there. I need some imput. I hear that we are going to have an el nino this year. Last time that meant a shit load of rain and we got just what they said. I heard that this el nino will make for an especially dry winter. I can't imagine dryer that we just had. Which is it, wet or dry? Or, wait and see and just shut the f##k up?I work for Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) here in La Jolla. Everyone has pretty much said that we will have a "Weak" El Nino this winter. How much rain will we get? Who knows. But it won't be anything close to the last El Nino we had. San Diego should get about 10.77" of rain per year. This year we only got 3.02"...The driest on record!
If you want to learn more about it, go to NOAA's website.

[27mtrcougar]

Hey flat broke would love to see those pics. Im going in september,I have never been their.Can you still explore those canyons or is it to shallow.i guess it will be worse in sept.Thanks

[WETDAWG]

Well I guess the squirt boats will be the only ons running after August?.....NOT!!!!!

[flat broke]

27mtrcougar:
Hey flat broke would love to see those pics. Im going in september,I have never been their.Can you still explore those canyons or is it to shallow.i guess it will be worse in sept.ThanksThere's still way more water than most boats have fuel capacity to explore. This was my first time on Powell, but it definitely wont be my last. Depending on which Marina you are launching from, you could be close to some good "exploring" teritory. I liked the canyons to the north of Rainbow Bridge (mile marker 49 from the dam) as it was more of the smooth sandstone canyons I had always seen in the pictures. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll get you some pics posted.
Chris

[LVjetboy]

Hi Chris,
Looking forward to pictures too. Sorry we couldn't join you this time, but hoping the dragn will be cruizin' Powell second week in September. (We were camping Lake Powell during 911 last year, so picked the same week.) Now all I have to do is put the engine back in :) And the pump...and some wiring...and well...
Pretty incredible lake though huh?
http://users.lvcm.com/lvjetboy/MarinaView.gif
jer

[27mtrcougar]

Thanks flat broke for the info were staying at wahweap marina close to the dam. But rainbow wont be a problem my boat holds 160 gallons.Looking forward to just cruizen the lake.Where did you stay?

[27mtrcougar]

Hey lvjetboy maby ill see you out their were going sept 10-17,staying at wahweap.Is that where your picture was taken. Looks great.By the way love your web site the dragn looks mean.

[HavasuDreamin']

WaltersCamp
San Diego should get about 10.77" of rain per year. This year we only got 3.02"...The driest on record!QB]Damn, the good ol' days. We got about 12" of rain in the month of May alone! That tends to ruin the boating plans just a little! :( Fortunately the rest of the summer has been awesome and the water is not low :)

[flat broke]

Sorry for the delay on these. The media center wasn't liking me for some reason last night and I got tired and said screw it. Anyhow, here are just a couple of the shots from Powell last week. We launched out of the Stateline marina because Wahweap was full. We primarily stayed in Friendship cove and used that as a base of ops to explore the lower 3rd of the lake. I only got to go as far north as bouy 51 so I'm already looking forward to anonther trip. BTW, I didn't upload any pictures of the houseboat, but the thing kicked ass at 55' and everything you could possibly want short of a kegerator. :) Thanks to the Ashcraft familia for being such accomodating hosts.
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p42.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p31.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p74.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p71.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p69.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p65.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p62.JPG
Chris

[flat broke]

A couple more http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p57.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p50.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p44.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p34.JPG
Chris

[flat broke]

And maybe just a couple more :)
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p19.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p16.JPG
http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Hot_Boat_Happenings/Havasu_and_The_River/p32.JPG
Chris

[27mtrcougar]

Those pics are great man,but something tells me you gotta c it for yourself.I cant wait.THANKS CHRIS.

[flat broke]

You're 100% correct. I had seen pics in travel guides, on the web, and coffee table books, but until you go there, the scope and scale is kind of lost on you. My only 2 regrets are that 1. I caved in to pressure and didn't take my boat, which led to regret 2 which was not spending more time on the northern lake. When you go Cougar, shoot some pics of the stuff north of marker 51 as the canyons are waaay more spectacular up that way. Oh and I almost forgot, don't forget to stop off at the Dangling Rope Marina (just past marker 40) and get yourself some ice cream or a float. :)
My only other observation about the lake right now is that as far as customs go, it is definitely Hallet country up there. There isn't that much custom boat activity, but out of the rides that were up there, I must have seen 15 Hallets, which was the overwhelming majority compared to the 1 HTM SS24, 1 DCB Mach22, 1 Liberator, 1 Nordic 28 footer and a couple of 21' open bows of various makes.
Chris

[RiverToysJas]

Great Photos Chris!!!!
I'm going to try to schedule at least one Powell trip a year. I drove all of the way out there just to look at the lake when I was 20. We didn't even have a boat, just wanted to see what it was like out there. I've wanted to go back ever since.
Did you see these photos from Colorado Hot Boat:
http://groups.msn.com/colorado***boat/lakepowellfunrun.msnw
Is that the area up north you were talking about?
So if the lake is dropping 2"/Day I figure it will go down at least another 20'+ before it levels off and starts getting more water. Although it's hard to say because in the fall it shouldn't evaporate as much. I've heard that Lake Powell evaporates more water in a year than LA uses (it's one of the arguements to dismantal the dam and get rid of the lake).
RTJas :D

[riverracerx]

I just snuck over to the Nautical Inn and stuck their hose in the water and turned it on full blast. It should fill the lake to normal levels by 7/4/2011. :p