Not Much Water Moving Through the White River System

[Phil Lilley]

This morning, we had no generation.  No generation since midnight.  What with the lakes above us pretty high, why aren't they running water???  While contemplating this today, the answer came into my head.

They're balancing the lakes in the system.  Former Corps ranger, Jeremy Rasnick, confirmed this a minute ago when he told me he called the Corps office and that's the answer he got - about no water this morning.  And they are holding Bull Shoals because of high levels at St Charles, Arkansas.  The level there is 24.75 while flood stage is 25 feet.  The river at other locations isn't that high so it's not inundated with water like some years.

https://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/pages/reports/remote/curcond.htm

Bull Shoals is at 78.3% which is higher than all the lakes above it so they're holding the other lakes so that BS doesn't get any higher.  Table Rock is in the best shape, although it's well over it's normal pool - 37.7%.  And Beaver is real close to it's power pool but interestingly it's at 59.2%.

Before I figured this out, I was telling some of the guides that after this rain coming up we may see gates again.  Now I'm not so sure.  Depends, I guess.

The lakes should have a great spawn again this spring!  Lots of brush for fry to hide in.

[netboy]

I think you are right. The flows on the Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters have been low with some bumps in the afternoons. It looks like Bull Shoals and Norfork lake levels have stabilized for the time being and lots of water coming in from the Buffalo and Spring rivers system downstream.

That said, fly fishing has been great recently.

Took the wife out this morning and we caught some really nice rainbows on top.

I am sure the flows will be increasing soon.