Major Changes

[laker67]

Made a quick run to taney this morning. I only had 4 hrs to fish, so I did not get a good look at all of the changes that have taken place after the flood. Water level was at 705.5, so I got a good look in and around the outlets. Outlet #1, on the hatchery side, has changed completely. The bank on the upstream side towards the point, is cut all the way back to the old timber line. Out in front of the outlet is completely filled in with sand up to the level where the hatchery chute hits the rocks. Speaking of rocks, the large rock,on the upstream side, is either gone or completely covered. So is the pipe with the concrete attached. Going downstream, around the bend and to the log, the bank is cut back to the tree line as well. It looks as if you had taken a saw and made a vertical cut about 6 feet deep. The vertical bank is about head high and the water against it is butt deep to a tall Indian. No offense meant Chief. At #2 outlet, lots of the upstream bank is gone. Also, the one giant rock has been moved, and two others now sit beside it. They are almost as big as the original placed there by the 04 flood event. It is amazing what the power of water can do. Banks are gone, trees are gone, and there is not a leaf on the ground the first 30 foot away from the water. The mound of gravel upstream from the island is now a flat of gravel. Lots of trees down and gone from the island, as well as some of the island. I did not venture down any further because I ran out of time,and I was too busy catching fish. Caught several 2 to 3 pound fish, and one 4 pounder lost, and another 4 pounder landed. I witnessed 3 other fish caught in the 3 to 4 pound class. The fish are still fat and healthy, some look like trout park gut feeders. Anyway, expect to see some major changes when the water is at 701.

[Phil Lilley]

Wish we would have placed those big rocks in the flat below and across from #2 before the flood. Would have made some interesting holes I bet. All that gravel gone from the bank had to go someplace. I think that's what we'll see when the water drops all the way out.

The boards are down at Powersite remember so the water levels are going to be lower than usual with the amount of water running.

[laker67]

Wish we would have placed those big rocks in the flat below and across from #2 before the flood. Would have made some interesting holes I bet. All that gravel gone from the bank had to go someplace. I think that's what we'll see when the water drops all the way out.

The boards are down at Powersite remember so the water levels are going to be lower than usual with the amount of water running.

With the way it pushed things around, we may have some rocks and deeper holes. How much depth do the boards take away.

[Phil Lilley]

The boards are 4 feet high.

[laker67]

I have heard about the boards at powersite for years now, and never gave it much thought. How are they installed, and who pulls the plug on that first board during high water ?

[vonreed]

From what I've been told about the boards on the dam is that they lay a cable along the boards when they install them and pull them out with a dozer by breaking them down all at once.

[Phil Lilley]

You're right on the cable. Just learned that myself. They pull the cable when they need to let more water through without raising the level of LT. With them out, the level drops 4 feet at the lower end when the water is all the way off and if they're running some water, it's lower up here and runs faster. Makes it interesting.

Two of the guides hit bottom above Fall Creek yesterday and ruined their props in places they usually don't have to watch for... it has changed.

[laker67]

Thanks guys for the info on the boards. I never gave it much thought before.

[mwfischer]

Wow, very interesting. I wondered if the terrain on the bottom would change during that fast water and it sounds like it did. Going to have to be extra careful if we bring the new boat down any time soon. Thanks for the info.