River Levels

[chub minnow]

Hey guys - hoping for a little help here. Unless we get a deluge we are going to have to move our multi-day float trip on Flat Creek to another venue. Bryant has been on our list for awhile, and the levels look great right now. I'm a little concerned because the gauge keeps going up, but it's not raining. Is this just flow from springs that have been recently re-charged or is there something going on with the gauge?

Assuming the gauge is right, what is the lowest level you could put in at Vera Cruz (we'll float to 181 or so)? We'll each be going solo in a canoe, so we shouldn't draft too much water. Everyone is good with some dragging, getting out etc. We always float creeks that are marginally navigable, we just don't want to run into a half mile dry section or anything like that (like Flat Creek right now!).

Finally, if Bryant is too low in a couple weeks will the North Fork be navigable? Thanks in advance for any help with this, we're taking my buddy's dad and I don't want this to turn into a 30 mile fiasco!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I wouldn't look beyond the NF or 11 Point. Anything else around here is going to be very low. The outfitters on those rivers can give you accurate information that you can depend on.

[chub minnow]

Thanks for the quick response! We are trying to do the entirety (more or less) of a wild creek. The NF or 11 pt. would defiinitely be a last resort. We really try to go for wild, large creeks that generally don't have many or any outfitters on them. We are all going for the "wilderness effect" and a little adversity and uncertainty are always part of that. Our previous trips include upper Indian Creek, Upper Kings River, Flat Creek and extreme upper Sugar Creek. The point being, we will take low water, dragging etc over the "canoe hatch" any day. We want to fish and be left alone for about 4 days; I must be spoiled because I'm gonna say the 11 pt is probably WAY too crowded for us.

I usually scout as much of the trip as I can before we go just to make sure it's not completely dry anywhere. Bryant is just too far away for me to do that this time. If it's truly flowing at 775 cfs at Tecumseh, then I'm not too worried. Just wondering about the accuracy of said gauge and how it correlates to levels at the headwaters. Any input on how I should be reading the gauge or any major cataracts would be greatly appreciated - I promise we won't filet any of your smallies!

[Gavin]

Call Justin over at Sunburst Ranch and ask him...775 cfs seams high considering the NFoW is reading 385 cfs.

[Ham]

The guage at Tecumseh is without value. I believe you are primarily seeing influence of Norfork's lake level. I hope to float Bryant Crrek soon, but I have NO recent intell.

[Gavin]

Ham is correct...the Bryant guage can be influenced by the lake level. The NFoW guage is above Dawt Mill dam so it is not subject to influence from the Lake...The Bryant is a smaller flow than the NFoW...Also...I'd probably avoid the stretch from Vera Cruz to 14...unless youd like to party with the Village People. Have fun.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Why not do the lower Buffalo to the White, it is wilderness. You'll do some dragging, but you won't likely have any company either.

[OzarksRiverman]

Ham is correct...the Bryant guage can be influenced by the lake level. The NFoW guage is above Dawt Mill dam so it is not subject to influence from the Lake...The Bryant is a smaller flow than the NFoW...Also...I'd probably avoid the stretch from Vera Cruz to 14...unless youd like to party with the Village People. Have fun.

heh. ISWYDT.

[chub minnow]

We'll be partying, but will try to avoid the village people.

I don't think we'll be doing the Buffalo - its at record lows. Awfully far to drive for four days of constant paddling for the guys from SW MO and NE OK. We'll do that run when the water levels are better and it's actually moving.

Does anyone know how the upper sections of Bryant creek compare to something like Indian, Big Sugar, Flat?

What about camping? Plenty of gravel bars? Any particular areas not to camp other than with the Village People?

[Ham]

IF I am remembering correctly (I'm offically OLD now so who knows), "what I consider" the upper Bryant is painfully small in spots and has some artifical dams that you HAVE to portage around. The fishing was marginal AT BEST, but it got better the further down we got.