West Rosebud Release This Weekend (MT)!

Montana's awesome Class IV/V West Rosebud Creek will be running this weekend thanks to a recreational dam release.  These releases are relatively subtle increases in flow that bring the creek into prime paddling levels, and were negotiated by American Whitewater and Beartooth Paddlers.  If not for these releases, there would likely be no optimal paddling opportunities on West Rosebud Creek this year.  

The releases will begin at the dam at 8:30am and the peak of the 500cfs flow should reach the outlet of Emerald Lake (the put-in) between 11am and noon. Releases will continue approximately 2.5 hours before gradually reducing to base flows, which are currently around 380cfs.  A release on Saturday (7/4) is assured, and there will be a release on Sunday (7/5) as long as flows remain above 270cfs until noon this Friday (7/3), which appears extremely likely.

Weekend releases are triggered when inflows are between 286 and 400cfs at noon on the Wednesday preceding the weekend. It appears that this weekend may be the only releases in 2015 or there may be one more weekend depending on flows. Keep an eye on the dam owner's website and in particular the relevant USGS gage.   

American Whitewater recently helped rally opposition to a hydropower proposal that would have dewatered this portion of West Rosebud.  

If you see any power company personnel at the releases, please take the time to thank them for making these releases possible on a holiday weekend on short notice.  They are a great crew to work with and really strive to provide an outstanding paddling opportunity.     

American Whitewater recently helped rally opposition to a hydropower proposal that would have dewatered this portion of West Rosebud.  The hydropower proposal failed, and the Creek remains a beautiful whitewater run.  Enjoy it!