Lake Powell news...

[rivermobster]

Seems legit!

Lake Powell: New ramp, new swim beach, and more - Lake Powell Chronicle

Construction is underway for a new ramp at Stateline. The cement structure will extend to 40 feet below deadpool. Lake Powell could drop another 100 feet, and boats could still launch. The new ramp construction is at an area christened 'Swim Beach' by residents. A new swim beach, directly off...

lakepowellchronicle.com

 

[Cobalt232]

That is a great article.

 

[rmarion]

Antelope Marina cut thru was a little concerning piloting the rental houseboat thru...... the opening IMO lsss than 50' wide.... luckily my phone GPS was working at that location....LOL

 

[Boat 405]

Antelope Marina cut thru was a little concerning piloting the rental houseboat thru...... the opening IMO lsss than 50' wide.... luckily my phone GPS was working at that location....LOL

From the pictures it looks pretty narrow I’ve got 2- 18 foot wide houseboats coming through next week towing boats behind us

 

[bk2drvr]

Such bullshit. Good their putting the ramps in but what baffles me is the almost non existent rise of Powell this runoff season. It’s unheard of in past years. Powell normally rises 15-20’ in normal water season but 2020/2021 snow pack was so bad, so bad, that it saw no rise? Impossible. The snow pack wasn’t that bad! Article says the Bureau of Reclamation is going to go back study their models and try and figure out what happened? Then the article goes on to say that one explanation could be is that global warming has increased temperatures and has made the ground more dry and more water is going into the ground and not reaching powell. Jesus. Sad state of affairs we are in here. The 800 pound gorilla in the room is a “Mismanaged Water System”.

 

[rmarion]

From the pictures it looks pretty narrow I’ve got 2- 18 foot wide houseboats coming through next week towing boats behind us

I did not tow thru the area... people were...

My boys drove our boat
through, then scouted out our spot...

 

[Gramps]

Such bullshit. Good their putting the ramps in but what baffles me is the almost non existent rise of Powell this runoff season. It’s unheard of in past years. Powell normally rises 15-20’ in normal water season but 2020/2021 snow pack was so bad, so bad, that it saw no rise? Impossible. The snow pack wasn’t that bad! Article says the Bureau of Reclamation is going to go back study their models and try and figure out what happened? Then the article goes on to say that one explanation could be is that global warming has increased temperatures and has made the ground more dry and more water is going into the ground and not reaching powell. Jesus. Sad state of affairs we are in here. The 800 pound gorilla in the room is a “Mismanaged Water System”.

It's easy to understand............they let out more than what came in

 

[prorider]

Such bullshit. Good their putting the ramps in but what baffles me is the almost non existent rise of Powell this runoff season. It’s unheard of in past years. Powell normally rises 15-20’ in normal water season but 2020/2021 snow pack was so bad, so bad, that it saw no rise? Impossible. The snow pack wasn’t that bad! Article says the Bureau of Reclamation is going to go back study their models and try and figure out what happened? Then the article goes on to say that one explanation could be is that global warming has increased temperatures and has made the ground more dry and more water is going into the ground and not reaching powell. Jesus. Sad state of affairs we are in here. The 800 pound gorilla in the room is a “Mismanaged Water System”.

Definitely letting out to much water. But I live in western Colorado and the snow pack was horrible. Plus all the lake’s upstream are low and holding everything but bare minimum releases.

 

[jet496]

This guy was going to make an investigative video following up on this one but I can't find it. We used to go inside the Grand Canyon & would sit in Pierce Ferry lake getting the balls to cut through the trees to get in. It always reminded me of something out of a Super Mario game, dodging trees, bouncing off them, scraping the tops of them, LOL, now it's dry & there's a waterfall to get inside.

 

[Singleton]

What is interesting is they are not building a new ramp, they are working to fix ramps that were used during construction of the dam and have been under water since the 60’s.

 

[bripar77]

I say the same why all of sudden. 60% of Normal Snowpack above but something else is going on. Hording or Storing Water up steam?

 

[rivermobster]

I say the same why all of sudden. 60% of Normal Snowpack above but something else is going on. Hording or Storing Water up steam?

Wyo looks to store, divert more water as Lake Powell dries up

As Lake Powell dropped to its lowest-ever level Friday — a decline that has forced dam tenders to unexpectedly release 125,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir — Wyoming stood behind five projects that could divert tens of thousands more acre-feet from waterways in the troubled...

oilcity.news

 

[Racey]

I say the same why all of sudden. 60% of Normal Snowpack above but something else is going on. Hording or Storing Water up steam?

More water use downstream from the headwaters as users have been fully exercising their water rights. Before 2000 the water rights werent fully exercised as there was no demand for ALL 15 million acre feet shared between the upper and lower basin states.

 

[TPC]

Rainfall is above average across most the US hopefully that continues through winters snowfall.

 

[QC22]

Who knows where to get legit launch ramp info for Powell (Wahweap specifically) on a daily basis? Supposed to Houseboat this Saturday... HB is in the water. Trying to understand support boat launching. Biggest is a Hallett 300.

 

[Boat 405]

Who knows where to get legit launch ramp info for Powell (Wahweap specifically) on a daily basis? Supposed to Houseboat this Saturday... HB is in the water. Trying to understand support boat launching. Biggest is a Hallett 300.

Wahweap aux ramp is open to boats less than 36 ft in length and 8.5' wide

 

[QC22]

Just found that too ^^^^^^ A week old, but seems to be still be the case. Works for us!

 

[JD D05]

Wahweap aux ramp is open to boats less than 36 ft in length and 8.5' wide

I was the first person to use that last week. A bunch of people were standing around from DWR to see how it went lol. I heard they need to shut it down for few days to fix it after this last weekend.

 

[QC22]

We need the ramp this coming Saturday, and the following to retrieve. Would be interesting if we couldn't get them out...

 

[2FORCEFULL]

More water use downstream from the headwaters as users have been fully exercising their water rights. Before 2000 the water rights werent fully exercised as there was no demand for ALL 15 million acre feet shared between the upper and lower basin states.

OK buddy,....LOL...

 

[JD D05]

We need the ramp this coming Saturday, and the following to retrieve. Would be interesting if we couldn't get them out...

All you can really do is go and hope for the best.

 

[rivermobster]

Who knows where to get legit launch ramp info for Powell (Wahweap specifically) on a daily basis? Supposed to Houseboat this Saturday... HB is in the water. Trying to understand support boat launching. Biggest is a Hallett 300.

Wahweap Main Launch Ramp (U.S. National Park Service)

Wahweap Main Launch Ramp

www.nps.gov

 

[Racey]

OK buddy,....LOL...

You have to read it first

 

[rivermobster]

You have to read it first

He's kinda right...

The cuts some states are getting are still above their current usage. And they won't happen until next year. So there is that...

 

[Racey]

He's kinda right...

The cuts some states are getting are still above their current usage. And they won't happen until next year. So there is that...

Those 'cuts' have been codified in law for decades They are based on the level at Mead (the main reservoir for the system), and always have been.

There is no denying that fact.

The thing that people forget is that there is way more agriculture between the upper and lower basins today, way more population, and way more water usage to support that population mainly via agriculture. It's not from people's pools or lawns.

 

[rivermobster]

Those 'cuts' have been codified in law for decades They are based on the level at Mead (the main reservoir for the system), and always have been.

There is no denying that fact.

The thing that people forget is that there is way more agriculture between the upper and lower basins today, way more population, and way more water usage to support that population mainly via agriculture. It's not from people's pools or lawns.

True story. And sadly (from what I can tell) the farmers are taking the brunt of the first cuts.

 

[J DUNN]

All you can really do is go and hope for the best.

Or stay home and I'll go check for you

My mom is there now on our HB. She said it's real quiet around there. Utah schools start this week I think and AZ is already in so combine that with the fear of no launch and people are staying home and the NPS is singing merrily all day long that their "needless frenzy" mission is being accomplished. I'll be there weekend after labor day and plan for it to be dead quiet, can't wait, I need the break.

 

[Racey]

True story. And sadly (from what I can tell) the farmers are taking the brunt of the first cuts.

Well they use the vast majority of the water sooooo.... whatcha gonna do.

Many have been irrigating with millennia old field flooding techniques, an absolutely abysmal waste of water....

 

[rivermobster]

Well they use the vast majority of the water sooooo.... whatcha gonna do.

Many have been irrigating with millennia old field flooding techniques, an absolutely abysmal waste of water....

I'm not a farmer. So don't know jack chit about that one way or another..

So maybe the cuts will motivate them to improve (spend money)?

 

[Racey]

I'm not a farmer. So don't know jack chit about that one way or another..

So maybe the cuts will motivate them to improve (spend money)?

Probably, but the cuts only remain in effect with the lakes at this level or worse. (and the cuts are pretty minor in the big picture, we'd need more like 20% cuts to make the system sustainable, i think the cuts are in the single digit percentages iirc)

 

[cofooter]

A lot has been said about foreign owned farms in the US growing crops and then exporting to other countries. They must have bought up a lot of water rights but it just seems wrong to let that continue but as has been said, it is a very complicated problem.

Feel sorry for US farmers that count on exports for some percent of their revenue. They will be the one's hurt most........

 

[JD D05]

Or stay home and I'll go check for you

My mom is there now on our HB. She said it's real quiet around there. Utah schools start this week I think and AZ is already in so combine that with the fear of no launch and people are staying home and the NPS is singing merrily all day long that their "needless frenzy" mission is being accomplished. I'll be there weekend after labor day and plan for it to be dead quiet, can't wait, I need the break.

It was really nice this last weekend really not many boats.

 

[FreeBird236]

For anyone planning a trip, the BoR has been holding Mead steady for the past month, Powell is dropping aprox. 2 tenths a day, that's 1 foot a 5 day week.
Don't know how low they'll let Powell go before they start dropping Mead again.

 

[J DUNN]

Pray for La Nina winter.

 

[cofooter]

La

Pray for La Nina winter.

La Nina started already, farmers almanac say above avg snow for Rockies, and I've already bought my ski pass - fingers crossed! About due for another epic year!

 

[Marios Metalworks]

@JD D05 think we saw you running out as we were headed back in. We had four boats behind an older 75’ Stardust. You’re boat looked clean!

 

[Marios Metalworks]

Main WW ramp is closed off and being worked on. Aux is open w/ boiler plate down into the water.

 

[JD D05]

@JD D05 think we saw you running out as we were headed back in. We had four boats behind an older 75’ Stardust. You’re boat looked clean!

I was out Friday - Sat- Sun...Didn't see you but thanks!

 

[Marios Metalworks]

I was out Friday - Sat- Sun...Didn't see you but thanks!

Yup is was Sunday as we were coming back to the Marina. Nice flat water those days

 

[JD D05]

Yup is was Sunday as we were coming back to the Marina. Nice flat water those days

Sunday was awesome! We cruised up to Rock Creek and hung out.

 

[Boat 405]

We need the ramp this coming Saturday, and the following to retrieve. Would be interesting if we couldn't get them out...

Lone rock.

 

[Boat 405]

Pray for La Nina winter.

Huh? You mean El Nino right? La Nina is historically a very dry winter that we have had the last few years. El Nino is a wet winter.

 

[Marios Metalworks]

Sunday was awesome! We cruised up to Rock Creek and hung out.

Rock Creek is cool, first time there Thursday and got to watch two packs of goats(?) move around. Marked a few potential camp spots and had lunch under the toilet bowl.

 

[J DUNN]

Huh? You mean El Nino right? La Nina is historically a very dry winter that we have had the last few years. El Nino is a wet winter.

From what I understand Powell gets most water from Colorado snow pack so per the info below I'm pretty sure La Nina is what we should be hoping for. That's what all the Utah-ans are saying at least. Here's more info from weather.gov. I know it looks like Havasu would be dry but water flows from the North. Biggest flood in Colorado History was a La Nina year, 1983 when rivers were flowing through Salt Lake City streets and every dam was open and dumping as fast as they could. River flooded and all lakes filled.

As shown in the image below, La Nina episodes in the winter months feature a wave-like jet stream flow across the United States and Canada, which causes colder and stormier than average conditions across the North, and warmer and less stormier conditions across the south. Historically for this part of the Midwest, fall tends to be warmer and drier than normal while winters tend to be wetter than normal. However, there are also many other complicated factors in the atmosphere and oceans that can also impact our weather patterns.

https://www.weather.gov/iwx/la_nina

 

[prorider]

From what I understand Powell gets most water from Colorado snow pack so per the info below I'm pretty sure La Nina is what we should be hoping for. That's what all the Utah-ans are saying at least. Here's more info from weather.gov. I know it looks like Havasu would be dry but water flows from the North. Biggest flood in Colorado History was a La Nina year, 1983 when rivers were flowing through Salt Lake City streets and every dam was open and dumping as fast as they could. River flooded and all lakes filled.

As shown in the image below, La Nina episodes in the winter months feature a wave-like jet stream flow across the United States and Canada, which causes colder and stormier than average conditions across the North, and warmer and less stormier conditions across the south. Historically for this part of the Midwest, fall tends to be warmer and drier than normal while winters tend to be wetter than normal. However, there are also many other complicated factors in the atmosphere and oceans that can also impact our weather patterns.
View attachment 1039378


https://www.weather.gov/iwx/la_nina

Wrong. We need El Niño. La Niña goes north and east.

 

[prorider]

Rainfall is above average across most the US hopefully that continues through winters snowfall.

Seriously. Have you seen a current drought map?

 

[Boat 405]

The record high years of 1982-1983 were el nino years.

 

[hallett21]

I thought so cal got a bunch of water on El Niño and Rockies got snow during La Niña?

Edit: NOAA says La Niña brings more snow to the Rockies

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boat 405]

No question that 1982-1983 were el nino years. Wolf creek in southwest colorado got 800” of snow that year. Had trouble running the lifts.

 

[Roosky01]

I am pretty damn fortunate to live in a place where water level seems only a concern when it's high and flooding around here.. I feel for all of you guys that enjoy the water out there and try like hell to not take my situation here for granted.

I will lift a cold one to the sky most everyday and pray for the deepest snowpack ever recorded out there this Winter....and hope that the result of it is properly managed for once...