POSTED BY ERIC SPRAGUE ON JANUARY 10, 2018

Wednesday January 10, 2018:  McPhee currently releasing 40 CFS for the downstream fishery. Releases will continue at this rate until March 1st, when they will increase to 50 CFS, then to 64 CFS on March 16th. Current runoff forecasts for the Dolores are not optimistic, with a 50% probability that McPhee could receive only 130,000 AF this season, according to the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. The SNOTEL sites are averaging only 31% of the median snow pack as of January 10th.

Based on current runoff forecasts, it does not look like a controlled release from McPhee is likely to occur this year.

We will update this page again in mid-February with any new developments.

CBRFC Website: http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/wsup/graph/front/espplot_dg.html?year=2018&id=MPHC2

Current Notices:

Call 970-882-2164 Extension 5, 1 or 6 if you have questions.

Dolores River Boating Advocates:  www.doloresriverboating.org

American Whitewater: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/385/.

Dolores Gage:    https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09166500

McPhee Elevation & Capacity:  http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_tabular.aspx?ID=MCPRESCO&MTYPE=ELEV

Dolores below McPhee:  http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=DOLBMCCO&MTYPE=DISCHRG

Slickrock Gage:  https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09168730

Bedrock Gage:          http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09171100