We’ve received some great news about the situation at Cannonsville Reservoir and we are now returning to normal operations. The cold water bank should get us through the summer (as long as they release it). Portions of the press release from the NYCDEP:
- The turbid discharge downstream of the dam has been completely and successfully ended.
- After consulting with engineers from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DEP has decided to return Cannonsville Reservoir to normal operations.
DEP has consulted with fisheries biologists at the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to develop the following schedule for reducing the release over the next four days:
Aug. 2 – 1,125 cfs
Aug. 3 – 844 cfs
Aug. 4 – 633 cfs
Aug. 5 – 500 cfs
Reducing the rate of release will also significantly extend the life of the cold water inside Cannonsville Reservoir, which is important for the fisheries downstream and inside the reservoir itself. There was approximately 25 billion gallons of cold water in the reservoir as of Sunday morning.
So we should be at a constant 500 cfs release by the end of the week. The West Branch should be fine for both wading and floating. Same hatches: sulphurs, cahills, olives, and isonychias. We are on the cooling trend right now with nights down in the 50’s and days switching from 80’s to 70’s. That should help keep the system in great shape.
MIke Chain Jr with a nice brown form the weekend. Photo by Bruce Miller
Hatching:
Slate Drake #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Sulphur #18-20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahills #14 – various steno species (invaria, etc)
Golden Drake #12-2xl – Potomanthus distinctus
PED / Pink Lady #14 – E. vitreus
Large Blue Winged Olive #14 – D. cornuta
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22-26 – Pseudo sp. (now classified as Acentrella sp.)
Charcoal Caddis #14 -16 – dark Brachycentrus sp.
Tan Caddis #16-18 – Hydrosyche sp.
Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Flows and Temps as of 8:00 AM:
Click on the gauge below to view the latest update
| Flow | Temp | |
| West Branch at Stilesville, NY | 1,100 cfs | 42° |
| West Branch at Hale Eddy, NY | 1,180 cfs |
45° |
| East Branch at Harvard, NY | 167 cfs | 57° |
| East Branch at Fish’s Eddy, NY | 417 cfs | 66° |
| Mainstem at Lordville, NY | 1,690 cfs |
57° |
| Beaverkill at Cooks Falls, NY | 132 cfs | N/A |
| Cannonsville Reservoir Release | 1,125 cfs | |
| West Branch at 191 Bridge | N/A | 46° |
| West Branch at Walton (Cannonsville inflow) | 146 cfs | |
| Cannonsville Reservoir Capacity | 77.1% | |
| Pepacton Reservoir Capacity | 94.8% |
