Warm Up - Run Off

RIVER'S HIGH AND FAST
Snow Pack Dwindling
Fly Tipping Rampant In River Itchen
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.. It had to come sooner or later. This year it's sooner. This last week of warm weather is good for early tourism, and it may be good for the opening of fishing on Memorial Day Weekend - depending on how much snow disappears; and how fast it goes.
.. As the long term weather forecast now stands, early fishing will be good and the Summer will arrive early and knock a hole in many favorite locations on streams such as the Firehole River and Nez Perce Creek. Hatches promise to be earlier, and depending on the bugs, may in fact be more prolific. We'll keep you posted.

.. The Firehole River is currently running at about 150 cfs above seasonal average. The Madison River is churning along at nearly 200 cfs above seasonal average. The elk Island Glide below 'Dipper Cliff' and Firehole Falls is "bank full" and rising, (see Platial map below.)
.. The snow water equivalents in the river basins are very low. The snow pack in West Yellowstone is 0% of the average. The Madison River Basin is 69% of average. The Gallatin River Basin is 76% of average. The upper Yellowstone Basin, (Yellowstone Park,) is 70% of average.
.. Unless there is a flurry of tremendous snowstorms in the upper elevations the rivers will become low, slow, and warm in a hurry. To keep tabs of the snow pack and the water equivalents check out the USDA Snowtel Site.

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.. Just a couple of days ago we read about the Royal Navy coming along to help clean up the River Kelvin. The note disturbed us and now we find that the River Itchen is in dire straights as well. As a more pertinent aside: congratulations to the Urban Fly Fisher for their Urban Sports Blog Award. And the new look of the blog is attractive as well.