Russell Fork Info

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What's it running?

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It's dry! The natural flow at Haysi is cfs and the Corp is releasing cfs from Flanagan. The add-up is 0cfs.

The add-up is updated hourly, so still the more accurate in real time. Always check the painted gauge on the big rock in the Garden Hole pool to know just what the flow is when you put on the gorge.

Predicting flows, especially from the dam a few days out is a fool's exercise. The best indicator of what might happen at the dam is to keep an eye on the inflow at the reservoir. The Flanagan page is an excellent resource.

October 2023 Schedule

10/6-8	800cfs
10/14-15	800cfs
10/21-22	800cfs
10/27-29	1000cfs	Lord of the Fork Race

The Lord of the Fork is our annual extreme Class V downriver race in the gorge. Race history here.

Rat Hole Reminder!!!

Public alcohol and other temptations can get you in trouble . No open original containers please. Discretion is your friend.

Please don't cut down trees, no matter how dead they look. If you see a dead tree that creates a safety issue, contact the park office and they will deal with it. Unauthorized cutting of trees on park property can lead to a $1,000 fine and a stay in the pokey.

Changes

Three 20,000+ cfs flows since 2019 release season have left several significant changes in the gorge. Some are more obvious at lower flows, but many are in play at release flows.

At Tower, a boulder has partially blocked the preferred Double Boof exit and the left exit has smoothed some. There's a cross tie in play on the river right sneak just in front of the Decap rock. Tightens the line significantly.

At Fist, the center (Fist) rock continues to shift. The low water line into river left eddy is tighter, but the middle line is cleaning up.

Rocks have shifted in the Maze entrance drop creating two holes at the bottom to punch. Rocks have shifted in the center mainline and low water river right line. The exit next to the Undertaker rock is much more dynamic.

At Triple Drop, a piece of the Third Drop ledge broke off and settled on the left side of the exit line. The break itself doesn't come into play at low water runs, but will be noticable at release. The rock in the drop backs up a lot more water in the middle of the drop, making the exit much steeper and narrower at low water.

Rock shifting in Dave's Rapid has created stickier holes at release levels. Shut down center lines at low water, also.

At El Horrendo, a rock has settled at the top of the plank on river left, siginifantly altering the top river left eddy and the dynamics of the plank itself. The traditional low water plank line is altered, but the hole below is much easier to punch making walking the plank unnecessary.

Some bedrock has sheaved off just upstream of El Hydraulic, changing that feature at release.

More ledge has broken off at Walk the Plank, most noticable on low water runs.

Boulders have shifted in Foreplay, less noticable with more flow. The center line above Climax is cleaner at lower water. The Box has changed enough to be runnable at very low flows (180!!!). The boulder in the crack has settled again creating a pretty clean boof at low and midrange flows.