Current? What current

kingswd · Joined: 25 Jul 1999 Posts: 9

Sailed at Dougs on Monday in pretty decent winds that should have whipped up some nice swell. However lake sailing conditions were the call of the day with some swell and mostly 2 foot chop. Word is out that no water is being released through the spillways. Anybody have any insight? Looks to be a good chance of wind this PM and an looking for current?

Skaman · Joined: 01 Nov 2002 Posts: 25

see attached

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?14105700

pabloson · Joined: 27 Jul 2001 Posts: 20

I noticed that too. Great wind, but no swell. Looks like they are doing some more work on the salmon infrastructure on The Dalles damn. No water over the spillways right now.

rdies · Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 7

Spill season ends Aug 31. Total river flows tend to be lowest this time of year. This year the Corps is also doing work below The Dalles dam that requires the river to be a few ft higher than usual so that work barges don't get stuck below the spillway. Thus, they had to raise the water level at Bonneville dam a few feet and the reason why river levels at launches such as the hatch & dougs seem a bit higher than normal. Lack of swell likely at Dougs probably due in part to lower flows during Sep and slightly higher river levels due to work. Great swell for a few hours at the Hatch on Sunday though. Very Happy

scottwerden · Joined: 11 Jul 1999 Posts: 302

The swell was good at Swell City on Sunday, at least early in the day. River flow is only part of the equation for getting good waves - the other parts are water level and fetch. Current going over an uneven bottom causes upwelling that jacks up the wind waves. Change the water level and the upwelling changes. Change the wind direction and the wind waves combine with the upwelling to make chaotic chop. Decrease the fetch and no wind waves to jack up the upwelling. Its all linked.