Current Flow
(cfs)

Previous Flow Rate
(cfs)

Volume Delivered to Date
(ac-ft)

Volume Remaining
(ac-ft)

Days Remaining at Current Flow

Irrigation   Contracts

(10,000
ac-ft)

113

113

4,126

5,874

26

In-Stream Fisheries   Contracts

(15,000
ac-ft)

131

131

8,699

6,312

24

Comments

9/17/2020

Contract Water Releases

Contract releases have just about been fulfilled and will be terminated next week. 

The outflows are currently about 220 cfs and are gradually expected to tail off to about 200 cfs by next week as the reservoir empties and the head pressure declines.

The inflows are currently around 90 cfs and they too are naturally declining as the summer comes to a close.

The outflows will be reduced to match the inflows with two adjustments. The first adjustment will be on Sunday September 20^th, with the second adjustment coming on Wednesday September 23^rd .

Exploratory Drilling

The DNRC will be conducting some minor work below the dam as we gather geotechnical information for the design of the proposed bridge across the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. The bridge will provide access to the toe of the dam for safety and maintenance purposes, and for future rehabilitation work on the dam. The bridge construction work is tentatively set to begin late summer or early fall of 2021. The bridge will be crossing the river downstream of the current boat launch area.

In order to accomplish the drilling, equipment will have to ford the river at the boat launch location. To help facilitate the river crossing, the river flows will be temporarily reduced to the 50 cfs range when the equipment fords the river. After the drilling has been completed on the far side of the river, the river flows will be returned to match reservoir inflows.

Annual Dam Safety Inspection

The annual safety inspection of the dam will occur on October 14^th. This will require that the outflows from the dam to be temporarily terminated for a few hours. 

In preparation for the inspection, the outflows will be reduced to the 35-50 cfs range on October 13^th. 

After the inspection has been completed on the 14^th the outflows will resume and will be set to match the inflows. 

I want to take time to remind everyone how Painted Rocks Reservoir is managed, and how releases are made. 

1. The DNRC does not determine when contract water is delivered. The DNRC insures that the reservoir is filled in a timely fashion and kept full until water is requested by the contract holders.  Whenever possible, gate adjustments are made mid-week, however they are conditions/contract delivery dependent.
   
   

2. Decisions regarding the timing and size of the contract water releases are made by:

• Fisheries Water: Jason Lindstrom, FWP, 363-7169, Jason.Lindstrom@mt.gov
• Irrigation Water:  JR Iman, PRWUA President, calljriman@yahoo.com
  

If you are interested, here are the online gages for Blue Joint Creek
( http://data.mbmg.mtech.edu/swamp/reports/GageReport.asp?SiteId=2890940&reqby=P& ) and the West Fork of the Bitterroot above the dam
( http://data.mbmg.mtech.edu/swamp/reports/GageReport.asp?SiteId=2890943&reqby=P& )

Painted Rocks Dam outflow information
The USGS gage link information for the gage immediately below the dam: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/uv?site_no=12342500  This site has flows that are recorded/displayed every 15 minutes and can be assessed by anyone at any time. Therefore it will give you the most up to date outflow information available for Painted Rocks Dam.