Spring 2011 Runoff Update | July 7, 2011
Author: Tucker Ladd
Well I will be completely honest that when I stated this post series back in early May, I never thought that I would be reporting on runoff conditions into July. 
The flows that exist in our Northern and Central Mountain rivers and streams are a testament to the extraordinary snow pack that we had this winter, and the gradual melt that we are experiencing is a perfect storm of conditions (lots of high country snow, cool spring weather, and mild summer daytime temperatures). While this prolonged runoff has been a burden for us anglers, I want to reassure everybody of a couple of facts/realities that should make everyone feel a little more positive about our current situation. First and foremost, runoff will eventually end. Although it may feel like we are in for a never ending season of murky and high water, our mountain snowpack is dwindling every day and we are getting closer to a time when we will finally start to see river levels dropping. The second is that these high flushing flows are only making our rivers and our fish healthier, and the long term positive effects of this runoff season will be visible for years to come. High flows flush rivers of unwanted sediment, and the lack of pressure that the fish are feeling right now will undoubtedly make them more active once things get back to normal.
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