E-13: Ready, Set, Flow!!

Fellow E-13ers:

Well, as we quickly approach 60 days to the arrival of the Wonderful Ones, I
want to give you an advance copy of the Flow Chart that will be mapping out
this year's snow melt and runoff.

Remember, it is this healthy event that cleans out our rivers and resets the
stage for ensuing bug hatches and resulting fish frenzy--the two key
elements of which are (a) the bugs await the post-cold water snow melt to
hatch and (b) the fish await post-runoff increased water clarity to readily
imbibe.

What is attached is the flow chart that we have been mapping for the past
six years. Using our home Rock Creek waters as a baseline, you can visually
see just how radically the runoff and its flow vary from year to year.
Witness the mega-high water years of 2008 (the yellow line) and
record-setting 2011 (the amber line) in contrast to paltry snowpack and
runoff of 2007 (the pale blue line) that saw mega-forest fires invade our
Creek's drainage due to that acutely low-water year.

Yes, gang, Flow Matters and, beginning on April 29th, we will begin dropping
in the actual flow rates from this year's runoff. Our goal is for a perfect
bell curve a-la-2009 (the black line) where the runoff begins slow, ramps up
quickly fueled by May's increased temperatures, and then subsides just as
the Ones arrive. Using this Rock Creek baseline, come E-13, we want the
Rock Creek flow to be is between 1,500 and 1,800 cubic feet per second on
June 15th, just as it was for E-12 last year and just as it was in 2009.
that is our target/desire.

This year's beginning water levels, snow pack and snow water content are
still tracking in the 80 percentile range, suggesting to us (a) that we will
NOT have high runoffs and (b) that all of our three targeted rivers should
be fully fishable for each of our three groups.

Mother Nature holds the cards, however, and Missoula's May weather and
temperatures will tell this year's tale. May is typically the wettest month
of the year for Western Montana; daytime temperatures (which drive the
runoff and its flows), however, will vary from freezing (i.e., slow flow and
paced runoff) to the mid seventies (i.e., high flow and accelerated runoff).

What will the story be this year, you ask??

Well, we will chart it out as it happens, call the pitches as they are spun
our way and, at the end of the nine innings, see just what the scorecard has
in store for us. In any (and every) event, I guarantee you that, as we have
done during each and every of the prior ten years' Extravaganzas, we WILL
fish each of our scheduled E-13 fishing days!!

Much more to flow...er, follow!

Rock Creek Ron
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