High flow alert for 16th Street Wave, Trestles Wave, and potentially Cherry Creek as a result of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s annual sediment flushing process at Cherry Creek Reservoir Dam outlet into the Cherry Creek starting Tuesday May 21st and culminating late May 22nd.
Cherry Creek Dam fullpipe being skated in the early 1980’s on a dry year.
Although the official new press has not been released yet, the big flow will likely start likely late May 21st and ending late May 23rd from the Cherry Creek Dam, whereas each of the five gates for the dam will take turns releasing 250 cfs or more of water (potentially up to 1,300cfs). In some years they have limited the flow to 250cfs for each gate but will likely be more.
The water’s travel time from Cherry Creek Dam through the Cherry Creek itself to the stream gauge located at the Champa Street Bridge (downtown Denver) is approximately six hours. Not soon after that, the water merges at the confluence into the S. Platte River (aka Confluence Park next to REI) to then be seen at 16th Street Bridge Wave and Trestles Wave.
WILL IT BE SURFABLE AND SAFE TO SURF? This is an unknown!!!! Will likely see the flow bouncing up and down for Tuesday May 21st and mainly on Wednesday May 22nd. The increase flow might blow out 16th Street Wave or at times put it in a fun surf level. Trestles Wave (down river from 16th St Wave) might see that wave come in when the flow tops 1,000cfs, but Trestles is not a wave to mess with unless you are sure you can handle it. The other week when the flow high enough for Trestles Wave to come, it had a tree blocking the back of the wave making it very dangerous to impossible to surf. Will try to get a check on the strainer in the next few day. Don’t think there are any potential spots to surf in Cherry Creek itself but they recently did river restoration of the Cherry Creek stretch from E. Iliff Ave to S. Quebec St that might be worth a look at previous to the flush and during the flush to see if anything might be safe to surf…. I wouldn’t use a leash in any of these spots and on high flows. Also one should scout way down river before jumping in for eddy’s out and any hazards on any waves during this event…. Maybe this is just a watch and see what happens year with the annual flush of the Cherry Creek Dam.
Here is the Champa Street Bridge gauge on the Cherry Creek: https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/Stations/CHEDENCO?params=DISCHRG
Here is the closest gauge for 16th Street Bridge Wave and Trestles Wave: https://dwr.state.co.us/Tools/Stations/PLADENCO?params=DISCHRG
Here is the intel on 16th Street Bridge Wave: http://endlesswaves.net/waves/16th-street-wave/
Here is the intel on Trestles Wave (note, might NOT be surfable due to a dangerous strainer behind the wave caused by a tree in the river that can hold you under water and drown you): http://endlesswaves.net/waves/trestle-wave/
This year’s big flush of the Cherry Creek Dam was confirmed this afternoon in an official meeting of one of the water conservancy board meetings I was attending. Will update The Denver Surf Report once the official news releases come out.
Be safe whatever you do and when in doubt, don’t go out!
LBK
The Denver Surf Report 