The managed release for Memorial Day weekend has begun. Today, McPhee is releasing 400 CFS downstream as it ramps up to 1,200 CFS by the morning of Friday May 24th at a rate of about 400 CFS/day. The 1,200 CFS flows will be maintained through Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Memorial Day weekend. On

Today’s update is largely unchanged from lats week’s. McPhee continues to release temperature suppression flows of about 100 CFS downstream on top of the current fishery releases, bringing the total releases to approximately 140 CFS. These flows will run until the beginning of the managed release or “spill”, which will start after noon tomorrow, Tuesday

Today, McPhee will begin running temperature suppression flows of about 100 CFS downstream in support of the fishery – this will be on top of the current fishery releases of 40 CFS, bringing the total releases to approximately 140 CFS. These flows will run until the beginning of the managed release or “spill”, which will

Today’s message is largely unchanged from the last update. McPhee continues to rise rapidly. Inflows have slowed some with the low snow running out, but the reservoir elevation continues to increase by about a foot per day. Current near-term weather forecasts have a low pressure system settling over southwest Colorado through the coming week, and

A quick update on current conditions. McPhee continues to rise over a foot per day, while diversion demands remain very low. The tremendous low snow below 9,000′ has generated most of the runoff and inflows to date, while keeping much of the irrigated lands from drying. The upper elevation snow had just started to melt

A quick update on current conditions.  McPhee continues to rise over a foot per day, while diversion demands remain very low.  The tremendous low snow below 9,000′ has generated most of the runoff and inflows to date, while keeping much of the irrigated lands from drying.  The upper elevation snow had just started to melt

April 23, 2019:  The Dolores River Basin reached peak snowpack at the beginning of April, and since then, the melt has begun in earnest. The annual runoff into McPhee Reservoir has started in turn, and is tracking well with historic median Dolores River flows. McPhee is now growing over a foot in elevation per day,

April 4, 2019:  Following the record snowfalls of early March, which substantially increased the runoff forecasts for McPhee, late March was drier than predicted by CBRFC, which tempered the official forecast by April 1st. Despite this, chances for a managed release are still over 50%. Currently, the local SNOTEL sites are averaging 155% of the median

March 20,2019:  The record snowfalls of early March have pushed forecasts up 50% driving the chances of a McPhee managed release, “spill”, over 50%.  Based on current low storage any spill would not start until mid to late May and could last from 2 to 4 weeks.  That leaves it almost 2 months out to monitor

Thursday March 7, 2019:  McPhee is currently releasing 40 CFS for the downstream fishery. Releases in April will be planned later in March using CBRFC’s mid-month runoff forecast. The CBRFC runoff forecasts for the McPhee basin have been growing rapidly through the season, and have surpassed the historical average runoff. More, the current snowpack is already greater