Minimum Flow

[Phil Lilley]

This is an article I pulled out of my archived which shows what flows would look like below Table Rock on Taney-

June 6, 2001

Several state and federal agencies represented a cooperated effort today here below Table Rock Dam on upper Lake Taneycomo to test water levels and flows for a proposed minimum flow increase in our tailwater.

Arkansas Game & Fish, Missouri Department of Conservation, United State Geological Survey and US Army Corp of Engineers have come together for this joint study to determine optimal flows from five lakes-- Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Greers Ferry and Norfork Lakes.

Normally, our power pool is 701.3, about 140 cfs with house generators and "leakage". Outlet #2 adds another 20 cfs. Different flows were tested throughout the morning using house generators only, "flow-- no load" which is running water through one turbine but not generating any water, 5% one turbine and 10% one turbine. At a little less than 10%--one turbine, they hit the desired mark of 546 cfs. Early news from the Corp it that there was little if any cavitation, something they were concerned about and watching closely. Cavitation would wear the turbine blades and would require unwanted and costly maintenance.

The major difference is going to be in the first mile of the tailwater. Below that there's not much change. I didn't go down to Lookout Island but there will be a change there in the shallow run at the top and middle of the island and behind the island.

The current in the main channel down from the rebar hole is really moving and thins out as it runs into the big hole. This is going to hold BIG trout especially in the fall when the browns move up. It's the kind of water I see in Michigan when fishing for salmon. Great shooting line water!! Also the water I usually fish above #2 through #2 will be faster and will hold more fish. This current and surface disturbance is great cover in itself- that's why they'll hold there.

Here are some pics I took throughout the morning and afternoon.

9 am - 1 pm

Above #2. The red arrow denotes the rock I stand on when I'm dry wading at 701.3 which means it's usually dry to the rock.

My standing rock at about 350 cfs.

New current. This guy was in the middle

above #2. CFS - about 350.

Rebar at 350 cfs

350 cfs

Here is the level 702.3, 540 cfs.

Note: at the time, 540 was the suggested new minimum flow. Now it's 400 cfs. So 400 cfs is somewhere inbetween these flow levels.

Looking from above #2 through and down to rebar shoot.

#2 oulet

Looking upstream from the TU stairs above #3 up to #2 outlet.

Looking out from TU stairs straight down rebar's shoot. Angler standing left center would be standing on dry gravel at 701.3.

View from below #3 upstream at rebar and bottom tip of island. Water covers the bar. Possibly 2 new riffles and one shoot has formed. The gravel on the east side of rebar is now an small island.

View across to the rock wash and the top of big hole. New riffle is formed.

View from MDC boat ramp upstream. Very little change here. More current but not much.

View from MDC boat ramp downstream. The whole gravel bar across the lake from the ramp is now under water.

[vanven]

Very interesting read. This was well before I ever stepped foot in Taneycomo. I really like the look of the 540 cfs pictures. It looks like it would add some diversity to the water with the increase in the number of riffles. It looks like there would be a few more quality spots to spread out the fisherman.

-Jerod

[Phil Lilley]

Non stop current would be the biggest change. The bug population would explode- more than most would even believe.

[Danoinark]

I also think with the added benefits of more bugs along with the healthy water fish would grow tremendously. I like it and always have.

Dano

[flyfshn]

Wow! Very interesting Phil...thanks for the info. Did they if they are going to do this?

[Micheal Kyle]

I cant wait the benefits to this are huge like Phil and Dano have said the bugs will explode and thus give the fish more to eat. The O2 level will keep at a constant and just make fishing awesome, maybe like it used to be in the 70's and early 80's. I hope this will actually happen and it sounds like it is going to. I can see in my future shooting lines and some big fish attached at the end.

[WebFreeman]

What benefit do you guys think it will have outside the trophy area?

[Phil Lilley]

Hopefully it'll trickle down... I think to a certain extent, the trophy area the way it is now has benefited the upper 5-8 miles of the lake but not as well as MDC and others expected it to.

Here's the latest stats from MDC's survey taken in August.

http://ozarkanglers.com/taneycomo/taney_2007.php

Unfortunately, they didn't survey above and below Fall Creek prior to 1996 but you can see a jump between 1996 and 1997 and forward. Bare in mind they can't survey much past Short Creek because of the depth of water.