Bitterroot River levels in June 2012

The river is big and fairly fast, but also pretty clear and fishing. Watch out for new hazards such as down Cottonwood trees. Below the charts is a slideshow of photos from the middle Bitterroot on June 11.

May 10 on the Bitterroot River - flows are stepping up

The Bitterroot had clarity on May 7 and still on May 8 - also terrific caddis hatches! But now the weather has been much warmer and the flows are stepping up. See the charts below.

Bitterroot River on May 7 north of Angler's Roost

Darby gauge station is upriver from Angler's Roost - on May 7 flows at Darby were about 1900 CFS

Bell Crossing gauge station is downriver from Angler's Roost. On May 7 flows were about 3,000 CFS

Still snow in the mountains!!! Bitterroot is 89 % of normal.

Links to snowpack and USGS river flow gauge stations are in the right side bar.

2012 spring runoff has begun in Bitterroot River late April

Air temperatures were in the 70 degree range beginning about April 20. These photos were taken April 24. Look at the graphs and you can see how the rivers have been rising. The last two days the Bitterroot Valley air temperatures have been over 80 degrees. These photos were taken when Bell Crossing flows were at about 4,700 cubic feet per second (cfs) - 2 pm. Right now it is 6:30 pm and the flows at Bell Crossing are at 5,480 cfs. That is a big jump. The gauge downriver (north) near Missoula measured 8,190 cfs at 8:45 am and now at 6:30 pm it is measuring 9,280 cfs - closing in on 10,000 cfs!!!
The snowpack in the Bitterroot River Basin earlier this month was over 100%. Today it is 89%.
The photos are all taken from Bell Crossing starting upriver looking southwest and rotating counter-clockwise to the east, then south, finally southwest into the parking lot. As I was there, a LOT of large woody debris was moving down the river.

Late Feb photos of middle Bitterroot River

Here are photos of the Bitterroot near Bell Crossing on February 26, 2012. The cubic feet per second (CFS) was about 570. Temperature was in the low 30 degree range. Beautiful day. We like to give the fish a break in the winter while they are struggling to survive the cold, low water but I do like to chronicle the river in photos. Interesting to look back from year to year and compare winter conditions with spring, summer, and fall fishing observations. We love our rivers and all that lives in and on them. It is exciting to watch them as they change through the seasons.
All the river photos are taken from Bell Crossing Bridge looking north.

MONTANA SNOTEL Snow Water Equivalent Update 2.26.12

Finally after a pretty dry winter, we are getting more snow. Most of Montana was below 100% snow water equivalent, but that has changed and is forecasted to improve. A wet weather pattern is expected for early March. That is GREAT news for our rivers.Click the image for a larger view.

Photos of upper Bitterroot River, Jan 27, 2012

Bitterroot River at Darby Bridge looking north. 252 CFS on Jan 27, 2012 at 5:30 PM

Bitterroot River at Darby Bridge looking south. 252 CFS on Jan 27, 2012 at 5:30 PM

Click on image to see larger view - works for the photos, too.

The river looks beautiful. Jack and I were driving home from a great day at Lost Trail Pass ski area. A few days ago the ski area got 8 inches of new snow. The skiing was wonderful. We wanted to see the upper river up close and personal so we drove in to the old bridge just east of Darby, Montana. 

June 13, middle Bitterroot River photos

Photos from June 13 in the middle Bitterroot River. The CFS at the Florence, Montana gage was about 13,000 cubic feet per second and 11.73 feet in depth. There is 351 percent snow-water equivalent in the Bitterroot Mountains at the time of these photos. That is a LOT of snow yet to come down.

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Low Flows, Hot Trout - Montana Rivers are heating up again this summer

Jack hasn't been with clients the last few days. He is working on a video project with Trout Unlimited. It has been really hot on the Clark Fork and it made me think about the trout trying to surive in the summer water temperatures. We, at Wapiti Waters, are concerned, especially in the Bitterroot as the flows get lower and lower. Clark Fork Coalition has great information at their website. It includes what we can do, even in our homes, to help. See an excerpt below and visit their website at http://www.clarkfork.org/.

Click here for a free download of their new report, "Low Flows, Hot Trout: Climate Change in the Clark Fork Watershed." Or, order a hard copy online through the River Store for only $5.

Clark Fork Coaliton text:

We hear about climate change on a daily basis -- but it's often from a global, overarching, far-from-home perspective. So what does it all mean for the Clark Fork basin? This report explores what the future holds for inhabitants of this 22,000-square-mile area and the waterways that define its landscape, culture, and economy.

"Low Flows, Hot Trout" delivers a plain-language synthesis of key findings from years of data-gathering in our watershed blended with anecdotal observations from river basin citizens. We gathered perspectives from realtor to rancher, fishing guide to firefighter. Our report is accessible to the public, informative to those whose livelihoods are directly tied to the river, and illuminating to policymakers looking for effective responses. The bottom line is: things can be done in the face of climate change, and everyone can make a difference-- from simple at-home fixes that improve energy and water use to large-scale policy changes that stimulate renewable energy production and river-sensitive growth management. This report gives a snapshot of what we can do to protect our hometown creeks, our local economies, and our celebrated way of life in the
changing climate of the Clark Fork watershed.

We hope "Low Flows, Hot Trout," will also spark discussion at the upcoming Headwaters Summit: "Re-visioning How We Use Water in the Changing Climate of the Northern Rockies," sponsored by the Clark Fork Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, and Western Progress. The Summit will be held September 15-17 at the University of Montana, beginning with a keynote address by David James Duncan at 7 PM on September 15th in the University Theater.

If you'd like to schedule an in-person presentation of the report and its findings for your group, please contact Brianna Randall at brianna@clarkfork.org.

Montana Trout Unlimited also has a NEW! Global Warming Report.

As long as we are talking about the Clark Fork River, Milltown Dam has been removed and here is a site serving as a public information resource on the remediation, restoration and redevelopment of the Milltown Reservoir Sediments and Clark Fork River Superfund site.
Clark Fork River Technical Assistance Committee

(C-F-R-TAC).

Safety Reminder
DURING THE MILLTOWN CLEANUP, THE CLARK FORK AND BLACKFOOT RIVERS ARE CLOSED TO RIVER RECREATION ABOVE AND BELOW THE PROJECT AREA.

• 
  Clark Fork River users must exit the river at Turah Fishing Access;
• 
  Blackfoot River users must exit at Weigh Station.

VIOLATORS and TRESPASSERS WILL BE FINED. For more information, contact Montana FWP at 542-5500.