No changes today to Chatfield Reservoir release Saturday, July 15, 2023…. 15cfs
Dog days of summer flatness in Metro-Denver prevail at least a few more days. Locally this weekend, Dave’ Wave is going to be the place to surf…
Travel-wise; Scout Wave in Salida is very much worth the trip for surfers of all abilities; from those who just figured out how to surf Sixx this season, to budding professional river surfers who will likely sign million dollar lucrative river surfing contract deals in the near future…. The Metro-Denver “loud and proud” surf crew will be at Salida this weekend through next week sharing the stoke with the cool locals.
OpenSnow is forecasting: Monsoonal moisture is expected to become established across the Southwest U.S. during the period (for Wednesday July 19 to Sunday July 23), resulting in near daily rounds of afternoon thunderstorms favoring the higher terrain of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Southern Utah. Dry conditions will prevail further north across the PNW and Northern Rockies…. (So keep an eye out for an outside possibility of late afternoon/evening gutter bump surf or if we get real lucky, return of Chatfield surfable flow. But no promises or “false hope”.)
LINKS TO WATCH:
Dave’s Wave gauge (about 3 hours off since the closest gauge is way down river. So look at prior day’s gauge amount and adjust your mind…. i.e 3pm Friday should likely be noon Sat current conditions… Need at least 200cfs to surf Dave’s on a longboard or inflatable): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLAHENCO?params=DISCHRG1
Chatfield gauge (takes 2-3 hours to impact RRP; click on raw/all values then table view for 15 min updates to flow levels): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLACHACO?params=DISCHRG
RRP gauge (click on raw/all values then table view for 15 min updates to flow levels) flow below 130cfs or so means it is too low for Sixx: https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/PLAUNICO?params=DISCHRG
Sixx Pole Cam: https://www.senserasystems.com/public/embed/3M7824646H83
Scout Wave gauge (1,200cfs or lower is surfable): https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/StationsLite/ARKSALCO?params=DISCHRG
PLACES TO SURF:
Dave’s Wave. Scout Wave. Montrose.
RIVER SURFING TIP: Colorado river surfers should consider installing OpenSnow app on their phone for summer weather forecasts (monsoons in particular) and for winter updates on your favorite ski resorts and backcountry area snow conditions and forecast. Founding meteorologist and CEO of OpenSnow, Joel Gratz, is a legend in tracking weather patterns and storms for those looking to score powder days. OpenSnow recently has included off season weather forecasting that is helpful to us river surfers as well.. Here is the link, it is free but to get the intel you need summer and winter, the yearly subscription is worth it…. https://opensnow.com
SURF TRIVIA: Who was/is the “King of the Surf Guitar”?
PRIOR SURF TRIVIA ANSWER: Measuring wave heights has always been subjective, even in feet. For example is 3-4 feet surfable might mean barely surfable or punchy strong surf. Is it 3-4 foot face or 3-4 back of wave (Hawaiian way of measuring a wave)? Really need to know other factors such as wind direction (offshore v onshore), tides (tide push, tide effect on reef break, etc). So to keep it simple when someone asks how big the waves are, the answers should be in body size along with quality. For example, it was “waist to chest high” and clean until the winds came on shore blowing it out. Or, it was “head high to a couple of feet over head” and barreling with makable waves. Conversely, it was “knee to thigh high” weak but could get some longboard rides…. Got it?
LBK
Surf for fun and be cool ya fools…
The Denver Surf Report 