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Ahead of the curve - barely

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/19/2011 : 13:03:18

While you warm water sailors are enjoying yourselves, and you frozen sailors are praying for spring, we Eugene sailors are keeping an eye on the "fill curve" set up by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Fern Ridge is used for flood control and irrigation. The dam closes on February 1st and starts to fill. The gates open on October 1st and it drains.

So, when we get cabin fever we go to the Corps web pages to check out the fill. Right now we are slightly ahead of the curve. The planned fill is red and the actual is blue. We put in at 370 feet, usually mid-to-late March.

[url="http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nwp/graphics/gifs/frn.gif"]Fern Ridge Fill Curve[/url]

We can also check the daily inflow/outflow.

[url="http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/ftppub/project_data/daily/frn.txt"]Inflow and Outflow[/url]

Anyone else have this sort of situation?? I guess you could say we have one really big tide each year!

We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails.

Edited by - Nautiduck on 02/19/2011 13:04:01

danandlu
Navigator

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USA
174 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2011 : 13:30:19

Low pool on Flathead Lake is 2883 and full pool is 2893. The natural lake level, before the dam, was lower than 2883, I'm not sure by how much - I had heard about 10 feet but that may not be correct, it may have varied more. I wasn't around then....

[url="http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/uv?cb_00062=on&format=gif&period=120&site_no=12371550"]Flathead Lake Elevation[/url]

We spend a lot of time waiting for enough depth to get in the slips. We put in 2 years ago at 2889 or so. In fact, I tried to put in on a Saturday afternoon and couldn't get Chesapeake off the trailer. Barely got her off the next morning, the lake had raised a few inches overnight. I've learned to lower the rear bunks and to wait for a bit higher water. We have a short season.

Edited by - danandlu on 02/21/2011 07:13:19

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2011 : 06:25:15

This time of year I keep an eye on the water temperature. Third graph down, red line. (Water temp today is 38°F):

http://tidesonline.nos.noaa.gov/plotcomp.shtml?station_info=8545240 Philadelphia, PA & flag=0

I try to hold off sailing until the water is above 60°F - if you fall in, survivability is just too short. In the middle of the summer the water is in the low 80s. You can see we have a ways to go yet.

During the season we watch the tidal swings closely - you don't want to be tacking against the current.

Edited by - TakeFive on 02/21/2011 06:27:38

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.