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Columbia high water level

 
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Anthony

Since 07 Oct 2008
362 Posts
Salem
Obsessed

CGKA Member


PostTue Mar 03, 15 12:21 pm    Columbia high water level Reply with quote

Why is the Columbia River so consistently high at Rooster Rock. I know it goes up and down with rain fall and river flows. This year it seems to have stayed high at Rooster for quite a long time. It is not like we with have a big snow pack this year.

Thanks
Anthony

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostTue Mar 03, 15 1:15 pm     Reply with quote

Not sure? Good question. Aside from no launching area for us kiters, it's most likely making a crowding issue for the Viet-Schlong masses contained up on the east end of the parking lot at RR in the bathroom/hookup area--Sargent Sunnybuns and Captain America probably aren't too happy right now; especially with these warm, sunny, early Spring like conditions out.

Maybe water levels and flow are aiding in the downstream smolt/salmon fry migration towards the ocean?

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ldhr

Since 21 Jul 2009
1470 Posts
Hood River
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PostTue Mar 03, 15 3:01 pm     Reply with quote

even though the snow pack is low..... all the feeder streams like the Hood River contain 2, 3, or 4 times the water volume they do in summer.
imagine how many rivers feed into the Columbia - all the way up into Canada.
all of these rivers are running 3 or 4 times their summer volume.
example - in the summer the Hood is typically 300 cfs.
today it's 775.
most of the winter it's well over 1,000 cfs and sometimes 2 - 4,000.

the migration of smolts occurs in April, may, june. i don't think it's started yet.

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Blazeheliski

Since 30 Mar 2011
655 Posts
Mosier
Addicted



PostTue Mar 03, 15 3:13 pm     Reply with quote

I kited Rooster several times last winter. This winter - zero. Here is a pic of the beach in Feb. of last year.

   GOPR4405 - Copy.JPG 

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user124

Since 02 Aug 2012
390 Posts
Portland
Obsessed



PostTue Mar 03, 15 5:18 pm     Reply with quote

Blazeheliski wrote:
I kited Rooster several times last winter. This winter - zero. Here is a pic of the beach in Feb. of last year.


Probably has something to do with Feb 2015 being one of the warmest on record. Temps in February are similar to a typical March or April, so we are essentially getting early spring run-off.

Hopefully this means we'll see an early start to Spring/Summer kite season! I predict Event Site sandbar will be visible early, and Rufus will be good too with John Day Dam spills less than typical spring.

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macgruber

Since 06 Dec 2011
490 Posts
SE PDX volcano
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PostTue Mar 03, 15 5:48 pm     Reply with quote

After getting skunked at Stevenson last Saturday, I checked out Rooster since I had my drysuit already on. 4' of pilings showing equaled about waist deep at the ranger station. I walked out to the sand bank on the east end and only had to walk through 1' of water for about 200' and there was plenty of beach at the sandbank.

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostTue Mar 03, 15 7:44 pm     Reply with quote

macgruber wrote:
I walked out to the sand bank on the east end and only had to walk through 1' of water for about 200' and there was plenty of beach at the sandbank.


That mud can be some of the slickest around. Only mud more slick is kiting on the south end of the Tillamook Bay, by Cape Mears.

I remember doing that long hike a long time ago in the flooded mud pathways through the willow bushes aka the Viet Schlong trail. It was an early April day, about 70 degrees and sunny in PDX, but clouds were hanging over RR making it cooler there. I make a turn past a corner and there was one of the VS 150' down the pathway. Wading back-and-forth in the muddy knee deep waters, naked, alone, all the while pleasuring himself with his hand. Needless to say, I took the extra long route that day to the lagoon/sandbar area on/in the east end.

It's good stuff, it just takes a while to get there. It is best to kite there if one can maintain position and land and launch in the same area. There really are no downwind outs, unless one kited down past the pilings and dumped the kite. You would have to have someone else carry your gear back from your lagoon/sand bar launch point and or endure a round trip through the muddy VS trail waters again to acquire your pump and bag and things. Not really a newbie spot.

Last edited by Sasquatch on Wed Mar 04, 15 11:16 am; edited 1 time in total

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D-Krep It Kiter

Since 18 Jul 2011
417 Posts

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PostTue Mar 03, 15 9:42 pm     Reply with quote

Sasquatch wrote:

I remember doing that long hike a long time ago in the flooded mud pathways through the willow bushes aka the Viet Schlong trail.


When we hike in we usually put the new guys on point, short timers at the back...

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stringy

Since 23 Jun 2006
1724 Posts
vancouver
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PostThu Mar 05, 15 6:45 am     Reply with quote

hey macgruber thanks for the heads up on beach at rooster. checked it out yesterday and sure enough, the water has dropped low enough to walk out (couple of puddles) and there is a nice protected spot to pump and run lines out. While I haven't tried it yet, it looks like drift launch will work, but use caution with all the submerged bushes with branches above the water line. yesterday was one for the books 60 degrees and the steadiest wind to ride foils on.
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Ryan

Since 14 Jul 2005
536 Posts
Oregon
Addicted



PostFri Mar 06, 15 8:47 am    water level Reply with quote

The Columbia is mostly impacted by the Canadian Rockies not the Cascade range. Sounds like discharge will be about average this year so expect typically high water surface levels...hopefully Rufus wont get blown out with current to much.

http://www.opb.org/news/article/what-a-record-low-snowpack-means-for-summer-in-the-northwest/

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Justsmile

Since 20 Jul 2009
1523 Posts
Not Portland
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PostSun Mar 08, 15 5:56 pm     Reply with quote

Here is a couple of pics I snapped from the wa side today. November beach to the east. Just some bush wackin!!!


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macgruber

Since 06 Dec 2011
490 Posts
SE PDX volcano
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PostSun Mar 08, 15 9:51 pm     Reply with quote

That beach and dune is reached by the Buffalo Trail. Don't know who named it but there are signs at the beach. It's the first big trail going north after you've gone 100 yards east from the eastern bathrooms. Ikitesurf's static picture shows it pretty much at the same level I saw last week

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macgruber

Since 06 Dec 2011
490 Posts
SE PDX volcano
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PostTue Mar 10, 15 8:03 pm    Rooster is back on ikitesurf Reply with quote

Ikitesurf fixed the sensor today. Nice to see around 2 that Rooster was 30ish while Crown point was only 10ish. I've been passing it by to Stevenson but now that I know better I'll be there next, probably friday

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