Bighorn River Update: June 29, 2011

By Hale Harris

The water is coming down, WAY down compared to what we’ve been experiencing. Check out the following email excerpt from Steve Davies of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Montana Area Office:

“Yellowtail Stakeholders and Interested Parties: In support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control operations on the Missouri River Mainstem, releases from Yellowtail Dam to the Bighorn River are being reduced as follows:
Wednesday, June 29 at 4:00 PM: Releases from Yellowtail Dam will be reduced 1,000 cfs from a rate of approximately 13,000 cfs to approximately 12,000 cfs.
Thursday, June 30 at 8:00 AM: Releases from Yellowtail Dam will be reduced 500 cfs from a rate of approximately 12,000 cfs to approximately 11,500 cfs.
Thursday, June 30 at 4:00 PM: Releases from Yellowtail Dam will be reduced 1000 cfs from a rate of approximately 11,500 cfs to approximately 10,500 cfs.
Friday, July 1 at 4:00 PM: Releases from Yellowtail Dam will be reduced 1,000 cfs from a rate of approximately 10,500 cfs to approximately 9,500 cfs.
Saturday, July 2 at 4:00 PM: Releases from Yellowtail Dam will be reduced 1,000 cfs from a rate of approximately 9,500 cfs to approximately 8,500 cfs.”

I’d like to get excited about the news, but this is about flood abatement on the “Missouri River Mainstem” and water flows will have to be brought back up in a couple of weeks. That being said, anglers fishing the river in early July might enjoy some dry fly fishing. That is if the PMD’s or Yellow Sallies show up in significant numbers. Regardless, fishing has been good and will only get better with reduced flows. And when it comes back up, we already know Bighorn River trout don’t seem to be bothered.