Pigeon

4/13/2023- this link is to a pdf that shows the correlation between cfs in the Dries and the water level at the Harmon Den Bridge. This was compiled from this past fall when power plant work resulted in all the water going through the Dries. (thanks to Nikki Mallatin for her contributions)

https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Document/view/?id=5380

If no one has posted a picture or you can't go see for yourself, for a rough estimate, take the reading of the Main Pigeon gauge (which is downstream of the power plant), subtract 650cfs for each generator running, (as of now, 2 are running when generation is on- check release schedule at the Duke Energy flows page- the 3rd is being repaired), subtract 100cfs for every foot in Big Creek(currently available by direct visual), subtract 50-100 cfs if it has rained in previous couple days from other tributaries. For example, a couple days after the most recent rain event, Big Creek was at around 2.5 feet and 2300 corresponded to about 700 in the Dries).

Be aware that they usually stop releasing through the Dries once the Hepco USGS gauge (upstream of the lake) drops below 1500cfs. So it is possible for Main Pigeon gauge to indicate enough flow in Dries but you can get skunked in this circumstance, as it takes about 2-2.5 hours for water to get from Harmon Den to the Main Pigeon gauge.