E-11 Runoff Update

Gang:

 

Things are yet proceeding at historically high runoff levels in all of the rivers of Western Montana.  Our own Rock Creek (our traditional runoff barometer) is today still flowing at a record high pace, though the flow has subsided a bit from yesterday’s (I believe) all-time record high rate.

 

Right now the flow is at 5,530 cubic feet per second [again, record setting with the prior all-time high for this day being 4,820 cfs—we are now 115% of that number], down a bit from yesterday’s 5,830 (again, and worthy of repeat, I believe all time record setting) flow and the water level is now above flood stage along Rock Creek.  Our house is well positioned on a plateau, safely above Rock Creek [something that we researched and determined 9 years ago when we then purchased our Rock Creek home—yes, I do practice real estate law!] but those situate in the lower part of the creek and closer to its edge should now begin looking over their individual and collective shoulders.  As this flow continues, water is backing up, and the creek continues to rise; the National Weather Service Floodstage for Rock Creek is “8.0 feet in height” (howsoever that might be measured and determined) and, yesterday, we exceeded that level to 8.25 feet; right now the height is a touch above flood levels at 8.06 feet.

 

Weather-wise, Western Montana temperatures have dipped in the last 24 hours and, believe it or not, more snow is predicted to fall in the higher climes.  Your Hostess With The Mostess this morning reports that she has now blanketed her newly bedded plants to protect them from nighttime frost and, over this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, more rain is predicted in the greater Missoula area (with evening temperatures there dipping at its 3500 ft elevation into the mid-30’s [putting the nighttime temperatures at the higher elevations well below the freezing level, read “more snow there”]).

 

Looking ahead into next week (as you each can follow along with me by toggling over to the weather button on Der Blog), in perfect example of the fickleness of Montana’s weather, temperatures are literally set to nearly double upward come next Friday, with highs then predicted to be in the 80’s and lows in the 50’s.

 

Sooo, with the flow following the daytime highs and lows, (a) you can look to the flow to continue to abate over this weekend but, with more snow then added to the already impressive remaining snowpack, (b) by this time next week, the flow should again soar upwards, perhaps even exceeding yesterday’s (literal) high water mark.

 

All of this yet bodes well for us as we look to greet the Ones three weeks from this Saturday as one thing is certainly clear for this year’s Extravaganza:  we are going to have plenty of water to fish and, to that end, big fish like big water---accordingly, in preparation, I have now ordered a second Twenty Inch Club sign-in board, as I fully expect that both will be needed for E-11.

 

May the flow be with “y’all”!!

 

Rock Creek Ron

   ----<’///><~~~~~~~