Recent rains do little to boost valley stream flows

Recreation making the best of the water we have

Frequent but spotty rain showers have not been enough to boost stream flows in the Gunnison Valley. River levels are still low, leaving water calls in place and prompting water officials to alter Taylor Reservoir releases so recreation can continue throughout the summer.

“It’s a bit frustrating because we’ve been getting frequent showers, but the total amount of those showers has not been enough to dramatically change stream flow,” said Frank Kugel, general manager of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District. Stream flows will rise for a few hours after rainfall and then drop back down. Overall, they’ve been on the decline.
At the north end of the valley, water levels in the Slate River dropped below 23 cubic feet per second, resulting in the release of augmentation water from the Meridian Lake Reservoir into Washington Gulch and the Slate River. That water will be used to meet junior water rights in places like the Riverbend Subdivision and Riverland Industrial Park.
The release rate from the Taylor Park Reservoir has also been adjusted at the request of the boating and fishing community. The original plan was to keep flows at 250 cfs through August 15 and then reduce them to 150 cfs. Instead, they were reduced to 200 cfs from 250 cfs on July 27 and will be maintained at that level until September 2, when flows will be reduced to 100 cfs.
“The person in our local user group who represents the rafting industry said if we go to 150 cfs on August 16 he’s going to have to lay off his crew and shut down future requests and reservations for boating on the Taylor. This way he and other users can keep operations going into Labor Day weekend,” Kugel said.
Kugel added that the decision also benefited wading and fishing interests. The added stream flow should help keep water temperatures cooler for fish. In early July, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials released a statement asking anglers to refrain from fishing in Tomichi Creek, where temperatures had consistently risen above 70 degrees. At warmer temperatures, there is less oxygen in the water and the added stress on trout makes it difficult for them to recover from the fight of being caught and then released.
Other valley rivers have stayed cool enough to fish, but anglers are being asked to monitor water temperature and stop fishing or move to a cooler spot once water temperatures reach 65 degrees or higher. Joe Lewandowski, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson, said the voluntary measures are still in place.
“There have been some rains but there’s just not much water in Tomichi Creek. There’s plenty of other places to hunt in the Crested Butte-Gunnison area, so we’re still asking people voluntarily not to fish in Tomichi Creek,” he said.
Other waters are in fairly good shape because the rains have been cold. That said, it’s still a good idea to pick up a thermometer at the local fishing stores and watch for that 65-degree mark as an indicator to move to another location.
Local anglers confirm that fishing is doing fine. Crested Butte Anglers reported that water temperatures are fluctuating, but fish kill has not been prevalent.
And rafters and boaters are making the most of the water that is there as well. Matt Brown of Scenic River Tours confirmed that boating numbers are below normal, but people are having a great time. “We locals get spoiled with abundant water some years and forget that our out-of-town visitors are only here for a short time and have a wonderful experience at any water level,” Brown said.
He’s not sugar-coating it for visitors—when they call to see if Scenic River Tours is still offering trips, he tells them water levels are lower than normal. But they are running two river trips a day on the Taylor and the Gunnison Rivers, and there are still class three rapids.
Brown believes the decision to alter flows in the Taylor was an important one for his business and the local economy. According to the Colorado River Outfitters Association, in 2010 rafting in the Gunnison and Crested Butte region accounted for almost $2 million in direct expenditures and more than $5 million in total economic impact.
“I think it’s very important to get the word out that visitors to the valley are enjoying their rafting experience and we will have this water level through Labor Day,” Brown said.
Down at Blue Mesa Reservoir, however, managing water levels has been a balancing act. “It’s hard to squeeze any water conservation out of this, but we’ve managed a little bit,” said Paul Davidson, hydrologist with the Bureau of Reclamation.
The rains have had some positive effect and there has been a slight increase in inflows. But with daily inflows at 500 cfs and daily releases averaging 1,500 cfs, it hasn’t been possible to turn things around.
“Normally at this time of year we would expect the same [amount of precipitation], so it isn’t a saving grace. It’s kind of keeping par with the course, and we are making a little more headway than in 2002,” Davidson said.
Right now, forecasts suggest that by December, the reservoir will be somewhere between the 7,455 foot elevation mark and 7,460 feet. That is an improvement over earlier predictions of 7,448 feet, but the Gunnison Basin is simply bearing the brunt of drought.
According to Davidson, Gunnison’s seasonal outlook for precipitation has been around 30 percent of average. By contrast, the Upper Green River Watershed is at 55 percent of average and the Navajo Western Water District is around 40 percent of average. Frustrating, indeed.