Will the H.R. Sandbar be back this Summer?

Kitesmurf · Since 21 Jan 2008 92 Posts

ummm.... so, high flow from the Hood River (with sediment in the flow) deposits on the sandbar. High flow from the Columbia river erodes the sandbar, or maybe shifts it west as it erodes it?

Anyway, a big sandbar plus pro-pool would be schweet.

-Kitesmurf

redbird · Since 02 Jul 2008 25 Posts

Snow pack around the source of the Columbia river and adjoining drainages is hovering around 25% above average levels. There is still alot of melting on the way, it hasent even gotten warm yet.

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/data/asp/realtime/basin_columbia_kootenay.htm

scottman · Since 08 Jun 2007 150 Posts hillsboro Stoked

http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?id=BONO3

looks like Bonneville is holding back the flow building up the pool elevation

forrest · Tue Jun 28, 11 10:58 am

Yea, for Fourth of July fireworks.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 28, 11 12:53 pm

I heard that the windsurfers paid the Corps to increase flows and wipe out the sandbar!!

No, the sand bar will not get washed away. Even though the columbia is uber sediment starved, there is plenty of material coming down the hood river. Even more so since removing the dam.

Like someone else said, the dams are currently releasing as much water as possible. There are limits to how much water they can spill without negatively affecting fish (nitrogen entrainment). To put how much they are spilling into perspective, the dams are producing soo much power that BPA is not buying wind turbine power. The turbines are just spinning in the breeze.