American Whitewater and the Beartooth Paddling Club are partnering with PPL Montana to conduct a Whitewater Flow Study on West Rosebud Creek, Montana.  The purpose of the study is to identify a preferred range of whitewater boating flows.  PPL Montana operates the Mystic Lake Hydroelectric Project in the upper West Rosebud drainage. The Project regulates flows into West Rosebud Creek affecting whitewater boating opportunities.  The Project is undergoing relicensing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and PPL Montana, American Whitewater, Beartooth Paddlers and other stakeholders are involved in FERC's new Integrated Licensing Process.

The parties have jointly agreed to survey whitewater boaters that paddle any portion of West Rosebud Creek from Emerald Lake to the irrigation diversion ten miles downstream. Information from the survey will help us identify a flow preference curve for whitewater boating, which will identify minimum acceptable and optimum flows. This flow preference curve will be used to evaluate possible effects on whitewater boating from Project operation and help define flow needs.

If you paddle West Rosebud Creek between June 1 and September 15, 2004 please complete this online survey each time you boat the creek. If you paddle West Rosebud Creek more than once during that time, please complete a survey for each date you paddle. Information from repeat paddlers provides valuable comparative information that helps us better understand the boatable flow range.

We are interested in your use of any portion of West Rosebud Creek between Emerald Lake and the irrigation diversion. The creek is commonly delineated into an upper run (between Emerald Lake and Pine Grove Campground) and lower run (from Pine Grove Campground to the irrigation diversion).<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Historically, boaters have relied on a staff gage located on the bridge to Pine Grove Campground.  This staff gage has no rating curve to calculate actual instream flows. If you happen to check the staff gage at Pine Grove campground please note and report the gage height to help us build a correlation between the staff gage and the real-time flows.
 

Please boat the West Rosebud this summer!  Check the website at http://www.mysticlakeproject.com/. This site has a direct link to a survey for you to fill out after you complete the run.  In addition, this website should soon provide a real time gauge of the flow levels on the West Rosebud.  The current gauge on the USGS page provides a flow on the river above the re-regulation dam, not the flow on the creek. 

Please participate in this flow study on the West Rosebud this summer. West Rosebud is an extremely scenic ten-mile Class IV (V) run.  Pass along the word about this study to fellow boaters. If you have friends that paddle West Rosebud Creek, please encourage them to complete the survey. For more information about the West Rosebud see the great reach description provided by Ron Lodders and Dave Gulbrandson.