Colorado River low water pictures?

[c_land]

Does any one ahve any low water pictures from the lower colorado area? Needles, parker, havasu blythe? I found these from @shueman and they are really interesting.

 

[LakeBeard]

wow, when are those from?

 

[c_land]

wow, when are those from?

Found them here from 03-04 https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/low-water-pix.133909/

 

[Bigbore500r]

The water flows drops pretty good towards the end of october, then they usually bring it back early February. I'

 

[rivermobster]

The water flows drops pretty good towards the end of october, then they usually bring it back early February. I'

Especially in Parker. It's best to stay away from That place!

 

[Deja_Vu]

That must be depressing seeing your dock sitting there high and dry when the water is so low.

 

[FreeBird236]

Some of those seem pretty extreme, but I've seen some areas nearly that bad in the morning only to be completely normal in the afternoon.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Especially in Parker. It's best to stay away from That place!

I see what you did there

 

[Albert]

And the smell!

 

[QC22]

Some pretty good data here. Not a lot as far as river flow historically, although there is daily data from the recent past. Lake levels back to 1935 if you dig: https://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html

I actually check here before I launch just to see what the level and plan is.

I'd love some hi res pix if anyone has them. I want to do the Lake place up with historical pix.

 

[rivermobster]

Some pretty good data here. Not a lot as far as river flow historically, although there is daily data from the recent past. Lake levels back to 1935 if you dig: https://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html

I actually check here before I launch just to see what the level and plan is.

I'd love some hi res pix if anyone has them. I want to do the Lake place up with historical pix.

@Wheeler on here can help you out. He has tons of historical pics!

 

[QC22]

 

[mash on it]

I'd love some hi res pix if anyone has them. I want to do the Lake place up with historical pix.

Old Town Saloon (Laughlin) has quite a few on the walls. Black and white, full poster size, under glass. From the '50's and '60's, mostly Bullhead-Laughlin area of the river.

Dan'l

 

[monkeyswrench]

Some of those pics up by Needles are unreal! My old place was up there, and a few times it got pretty low...but not like those! I'm going to show my kids..."I told you, damn Californians finally took all the water..."

 

[rivermobster]

@Wheeler on here can help you out. He has tons of historical pics!

I take that back...

PM @Skyskier Him and wheeler are both old. I got em mixed up!

 

[QC22]

I take that back...

PM @Skyskier Him and wheeler are both old. I got em mixed up!

Wheeler said his pics were lost in a fire in 1980! He suggested Skyskier as well. Thanks

 

[boatnam2]

I wish I would of took a few from last weekend, water was as low as I have ever seen it besides the first of the year when they drop it for 2 weeks. I think you could of walked across no problem at big river by the bridge. I'm offshore pretty good and I was sitting on bottom a few times and ski was high and dry.

 

[Ultra912]

I wish I would of took a few from last weekend, water was as low as I have ever seen it besides the first of the year when they drop it for 2 weeks. I think you could of walked across no problem at big river by the bridge. I'm offshore pretty good and I was sitting on bottom a few times and ski was high and dry.

That why the lake was so high? I hadn't seen the lake that high in years

 

[King295]

Water was low last weekend on the lower river as they did not want to release water down south due to Hurricane Rosa expecting to make landfall over flood concerns.

Here is Big River last weekend:

 

[jeepdog]

Its all about the rain...last couple of days Davis damn only two units...three units in late afternoon for a few hours...makes boating pretty tricky up this way

 

[KENDOG689]

Been able to walk to the center of the river just above the Needles bridge before on a Monday.

 

[BoatCop]

With the amount of rain forecast, orders for irrigation water was way down. Plus the lower temps reduced need for hydroelectric power. The fact that room was needed for possible flood water influx completes the trifecta.

It's easier and safer to make room beforehand, than deal with flood levels after the fact. Remember that recreation is the lowest priority for Colorado River water. Water delivery, storage, flood control and electric power generation are at the top. Recreation is somewhere a few points down below catfish habitat.

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

Water was low last weekend on the lower river as they did not want to release water down south due to Hurricane Rosa expecting to make landfall over flood concerns.

Here is Big River last weekend:

How deep is big river at high level?

That almost looks impassible when low.

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[old rigger]

When I was a kid and we had a place in Bullhead in the Wagon Wheel trailer park this is what the river looked like every single Sunday morning for all of the 1960's. You could almost walk across the to the Nevada side, there was no Laughlin...it was paradise, except for the very center channel which we had to swim. These pics c_land posted above were taken very close to where Wagonwheel was/is. I really need to get our home movies transferred to a digital format and post them here.

 

[mash on it]

With the amount of rain forecast, orders for irrigation water was way down. Plus the lower temps reduced need for hydroelectric power. The fact that room was needed for possible flood water influx completes the trifecta.

It's easier and safer to make room beforehand, than deal with flood levels after the fact. Remember that recreation is the lowest priority for Colorado River water. Water delivery, storage, flood control and electric power generation are at the top. Recreation is somewhere a few points down below catfish habitat.

1983

Dan'l

 

[707dog]

Guess there no smelt fish to worry about in them parts( being sarcastic)

 

[rivermobster]

When I was a kid and we had a place in Bullhead in the Wagon Wheel trailer park this is what the river looked like every single Sunday morning for all of the 1960's. You could almost walk across the to the Nevada side, there was no Laughlin...it was paradise, except for the very center channel which we had to swim. These pics c_land posted above were taken very close to where Wagonwheel was/is. I really need to get our home movies transferred to a digital format and post them here.

View attachment 689328 View attachment 689329

That's crazy!

 

[King295]

How deep is big river at high level?

That almost looks impassible when low.

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Anywhere from 5-15 feet with quite a few sand bars, rock bars, and other hazards. You need to know the river any time other than when the water is all the way up. I've been going for 20+ years, never hit but know plenty that have including guys on sea doos going over the front (hilarious once you know they aren't hurt)

 

[DaytonaBabe]

Took this last weekend just south of Picacho on the Lower River. Typically there is water on the left side of that sandbar and water in the cut in the middle as well. If you look close, you can see our boats on the right side of the sandbar... The water dropped 12" during the day, making the ride home quite an adventure, and it dropped another 12" that night. I've never seen the river that low, ever. Sunday the area got hit with yuge flash floods from Rosa.

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[BoatCop]

1983

Dan'l

That was kind of a different situation. The '83 floods were caused by Bureau of Rec (BOR) showing off.

Glen Canyon Dam was finished in 1963, which created Lake Powell. It was estimated (accurately) that it would take 20 years to fill to full pool. In early 1983 BOR wanted to show what a great job they did and filled all the storage Lakes (Powell, Mead, Mohave, Havasu) to 100%. They didn't anticipate a late spring heavy snowfall in he Rockies, followed by an immediate warm spell melting all that new (and prior existing) snow. More water flowed into the system than they had room for. Davis Dam was nearly breached. The Parker Strip flooded homes and campsites and was closed to all boating, as was Bullhead and Needles.

To date, no one got nut swung over that fiasco.

 

[Riverbottom]

That was kind of a different situation. The '83 floods were caused by Bureau of Rec (BOR) showing off.

Glen Canyon Dam was finished in 1963, which created Lake Powell. It was estimated (accurately) that it would take 20 years to fill to full pool. In early 1983 BOR wanted to show what a great job they did and filled all the storage Lakes (Powell, Mead, Mohave, Havasu) to 100%. They didn't anticipate a late spring heavy snowfall in he Rockies, followed by an immediate warm spell melting all that new (and prior existing) snow. More water flowed into the system than they had room for. Davis Dam was nearly breached. The Parker Strip flooded homes and campsites and was closed to all boating, as was Bullhead and Needles.

To date, no one got nut swung over that fiasco.

Remember it well, spent July and August filling sand bags and running pumps down at Aha Quinn, to keep my new mobile home dry. We used to go up to Water Wheel when the river was closed, launch our Jet Skis and ride in the alfalfa fields on the Az. side and the irrigation canals. Rode the canal just above Poston right to the highway and had to turn around at the gates there.

 

[rivermobster]

That was kind of a different situation. The '83 floods were caused by Bureau of Rec (BOR) showing off.

Glen Canyon Dam was finished in 1963, which created Lake Powell. It was estimated (accurately) that it would take 20 years to fill to full pool. In early 1983 BOR wanted to show what a great job they did and filled all the storage Lakes (Powell, Mead, Mohave, Havasu) to 100%. They didn't anticipate a late spring heavy snowfall in he Rockies, followed by an immediate warm spell melting all that new (and prior existing) snow. More water flowed into the system than they had room for. Davis Dam was nearly breached. The Parker Strip flooded homes and campsites and was closed to all boating, as was Bullhead and Needles.

To date, no one got nut swung over that fiasco.

I remember this deal as well...

You have any Good pics of the gates partially open? Man that was a sight to see.

 

[BoatCop]

I remember this deal as well...

You have any Good pics of the gates partially open? Man that was a sight to see.

I've got some with all 5 full open. Just gotta find them.

 

[c_land]

I remember this deal as well...

You have any Good pics of the gates partially open? Man that was a sight to see.

I've got this one in my office.

 

[Cibolasam]

This was a couple of miles downriver from the Oxbow Bridge last Saturday.


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[jesco]

Taken this AM about a mile North of the 10 fwy, Ehrenberg side of the river. The buoys are usually in anywhere from 6 to 7 feet of water during boating season...

 

[QC22]

Davis Dam was nearly breached.

I didn't know about Davis. I know Glen Canyon Dam was literally cavitating into the bedrock and some knowledgeable people have said they almost lost the whole thing. They literally extended height with plywood

 

[c_land]

I didn't know about Davis. I know Glen Canyon Dam was literally cavitating into the bedrock and some knowledgeable people have said they almost lost the whole thing. They literally extended height with plywood

Wow i Didn't know that. It sounds like the same thing that happened at oroville last winter. https://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2003-03/water-vapor-almost-busts-dam

 

[QC22]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risks_to_the_Glen_Canyon_Dam

Very similar to Oroville, now that I read about both.

 

[c_land]

Looks like some low water near needles today. Pulled this from River wimps

 

[HALLETT BOY]

That was kind of a different situation. The '83 floods were caused by Bureau of Rec (BOR) showing off.

Glen Canyon Dam was finished in 1963, which created Lake Powell. It was estimated (accurately) that it would take 20 years to fill to full pool. In early 1983 BOR wanted to show what a great job they did and filled all the storage Lakes (Powell, Mead, Mohave, Havasu) to 100%. They didn't anticipate a late spring heavy snowfall in he Rockies, followed by an immediate warm spell melting all that new (and prior existing) snow. More water flowed into the system than they had room for. Davis Dam was nearly breached. The Parker Strip flooded homes and campsites and was closed to all boating, as was Bullhead and Needles.

To date, no one got nut swung over that fiasco.

Most likely relocated and given a promotion ...

 

[jeepdog]

This is a half unit
South of chamber..(community park)
All the run off from storm, city has some big equipment runnin

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[84miller]

I bought this pic from the Chicago Tribune take 9/1939. Building of Parker Dam. Can not get any lower water level.

 

[grumpy88]

I bought this pic from the Chicago Tribune take 9/1939. Building of Parker Dam. Can not get any lower water level.

Wow ! Cool picture

 

[stephenkatsea]

Wonder if any channel excavation done prior to filling Lake Havasu. By Fathometer most of the River channel depth is about 50’. Deepest spot I’ve seen is at the point below Five Fingers on the CA side, about 80’. Never checked the depth at Parker Dam prior to 9/11 and the restriction buoy line. Would think that would be fairly deep.

 

[blue wonder]

I work on the Gila gravity canal down here in Yuma, the last spot below the dam at hidden shores, I try and tell all my California buddies that complain about the river being low why it goes up and down so much and I try and explain to them that the only reason the elevation changes is due to the amount of water that the farmers order for the week and with the rains we have had last week we are running nothing which is why the levels are so low, story over

 

[TexasJet]

Launch ramp at The Cove RV.resort in Blythe.

 

[lebel409]

I canoed from McIntyre to Martinez Lake Thanksgiving week...and it was looowww. The first night we got into Walter's camp late and were running into sandbars in the dark, FUN!. While there was a deviation, it was uniformly low for 4 days.

 

[grumpy88]

Wonder if any channel excavation done prior to filling Lake Havasu. By Fathometer most of the River channel depth is about 50’. Deepest spot I’ve seen is at the point below Five Fingers on the CA side, about 80’. Never checked the depth at Parker Dam prior to 9/11 and the restriction buoy line. Would think that would be fairly deep.

It's only like 20 feet at the buoy line below parker dam . There are some really deep pockets on the parker strip though .

 

[getoffmylawn]

Not a great pic. But snapped this going over the Parker bridge 2 weeks ago