who stole it?

moondog · Sat May 11, 13 7:32 am **who stole it?**

Someone snuck into Hood River last night and stole our huge, debris free sand bar!! If you see it, please return it no questions asked!

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

better pass some carbon taxes quick ............................................................

Pepi · Sat May 11, 13 3:14 pm

Still lots of snowpack up river at the Canadian headwaters of the Columbia this year, so Sandbar will have it's typical 'show-no show' occurances throughout the Spring season.

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 803 Posts Opinionated

Latest forecast shows even higher water and current coming in the next few days and lasting through the first week of June.

http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/stp/station/stpplot/stpplot.cgi?TDAO3

Still not as bad as the last couple of years.

waynepjh · Since 27 Jul 2008 212 Posts jackson wy Stoked

The snow in the upper snake river has only just begun to melt. Rivers were still clear two days ago.

Ryan · Since 14 Jul 2005 537 Posts Oregon Addicted

I just learned 40% of the Columbia water originates in Canada.

moondog · Sun May 12, 13 7:38 am

What was the formula from last year? 300,000 cfs or below and we had a partial sandbar?

MarkWorth · Since 02 May 2011 149 Posts Hood River Stoked

The mighty Columbia is running at 360,000 cfs at Bonneville right now
The water elevation and flow do not directly correlate and dam operations can create high levels at low flows and often do.

There are limits to how low the elevation can get at higher volumes, the sandbar itself can hold 12 inches of water elevation. You can see the 12 inch difference by looking from water level at the event site upstream over the sandbar at flows above 400,00 cfs.

High volumes and lower water elevations make navigation more difficult for the barges because of increased current speeds so the dam operators don’t want too much current speed.

It was running 340,00cfs last week and the sand bar showed everything from a dry kiddy pool to a small strip of sand.
Generally above 350,000 cfs water is coming over the sandbar part of the day.

the STP forecast has not correlated with reality or obvious observations any farmer could make for the last 6 years. I would ignore it.

forrest · Sun May 12, 13 8:36 am

I think its fairly useful for finding out if the water is going to be lower 10 days out, but that's about it.

MarkWorth · Since 02 May 2011 149 Posts Hood River Stoked

I am not seeing a parallel between the chart from 5 days ago and the last three days averaging 270 ,000cfs, 320 ,000cfs, and 349,000cfs.

It looks like a more then 20% error to me, obviously I don’t understand the chart.

moondog · Sun May 12, 13 9:17 pm

I never thought about having high water level and low flow before. Now it all makes sense when you go to your favorite spot the next day that has identical water level, but the conditions have all changed because of the different flow rate. Thanks for the epiphany Mark!