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FLAMING GORGE, Daggett County — The Bureau of Reclamation began releasing water as fast as it can from Flaming Gorge Reservoir late Tuesday night. The reservoir is 84 percent full, and with warmer temperatures ahead, the bureau decided now would be a good time to start the process.

“I’m not getting in, I’ll tell you that,” fisherman Jon Heeringa said. “Last year, I waded the river. I went across. I wouldn’t get above my knees it’s pushing so hard this year.”

Water levels at the reservoir are a lot higher than normal because of the deep snowpack above Flaming Gorge, above the Upper Green Basin and in the Yampa River Basin. The cool weather has delayed the start of the low-elevation snowmelt runoff. But warm temperatures over the coming days will melt some of that away and could cause problems.

“We are releasing water in before we see these inflows come in so that we have enough flexibility with our reservoir operations to decrease Flaming Gorge when the spring peak of the Yampa starts coming into the Green River,” said Heather Hermansen with the Bureau of Reclamation.

The May preliminary forecast from the River Forecast Center for inflows into Flaming Gorge Reservoir is 139 percent of average compared with the April 1 forecast, which was 113 percent of average. The Yampa River forecast increased over the same time period from 157 percent of average to 197 percent of average.

"We are equating this to 1983 and 1984 levels, and ... if we continue to see snow accumulation, there will be more snow than 1983, 1984 levels," Hermansen explained.

As the total releases from the dam increase to between 8,400–8,600 cubic feet per second, downstream recreation areas will see an increase in river stage of between one and one and a half feet.

“It’s very impressive, I mean, you don’t see mist coming off the base of the dam ever,” Heeringa said.

It's the fourth time in the past 48 years this is being done, which for local recreation companies means more business.

Patty Schwartz, who runs Flaming Gorge Recreation Services in Dutch John, says she's already been getting calls from rafters.

“This is a big deal for rafters,” she said.

A normally 2 ½ hour trip can be done in 30 minutes, because of how fast the water is moving.

"We'll even close the store and go down there and watch it because it is just amazing ... That much water coming out of the dam is just totally awesome," she said.

The Bureau of Reclamation is also monitoring river flows downstream on the Green and Yampa to make sure those communities don't flood.

As for how much longer the Bureau of Reclamation is going to do this, it says it will continue to do it until it can get the water level on the reservoir down to where it feels comfortable.

Email:acabrero@ksl.com

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