Dickson Dam flow increase this weekend

[Outcast 1100]

Just got word that there is a strong possibility that the dam will be increasing the flows to the red deer river this weekend to a possible 200m3/sec. the flow now is about 60m3/sec. stay safe on the waters everyone.. have a great long weekend...

[bwackwabbit]

I'm here now and was just told the same. They are doing so in the next 30 mins.

http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/bwackwabbit/Fish/5EBA5C38-D95A-4811-B5B8-8A0254FB669F.jpg (http://s1145.photobucket.com/user/bwackwabbit/media/Fish/5EBA5C38-D95A-4811-B5B8-8A0254FB669F.jpg.html)
http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/bwackwabbit/Fish/4965846C-88C0-4C45-98FF-B77ADB106FB3.jpg (http://s1145.photobucket.com/user/bwackwabbit/media/Fish/4965846C-88C0-4C45-98FF-B77ADB106FB3.jpg.html)

[Bigtoad]

LOVE how they do that just as it opens to fishing. The dam man is not a fisherman apparently....Damn.

[tight line]

LOVE how they do that just as it opens to fishing. The dam man is not a fisherman apparently....Damn.

Lol.. No kidding!

[Bigtoad]

Lol.. No kidding!

Happens almost EVERY year. Why even bother opening it up to fish on the May long when the dam-man has his own agenda.:snapoutofit:

[fish gunner]

Uhhh well they should just flood the reservoir so we can fish . Then when they have no control over flow we can wonder why red deer is under 3' of water. Ya the dam man has an agenda saving lives and propert. :thinking-006:

[NSRfishing]

i have always had more success fishing flooded rivers makes it easier to find fish

[Bigtoad]

Uhhh well they should just flood the reservoir so we can fish . Then when they have no control over flow we can wonder why red deer is under 3' of water. Ya the dam man has an agenda saving lives and propert. :thinking-006:

I'm aware the levels have to be increased at some point, but if you've ever looked at the Alberta River Basin website you'll see incredibly sharp increases in flow rates in just a few short hours. There are no diagonal lines on the graph. Only straight vertical or horizontal.

If they know they are going to open it up, they should be doing this gradually, over several days or even weeks. It's much less harmful on the insect life and fish if you have more gradual increases instead of sharp and drastic ones.

Flow rates are often quite low right before May long and then suddenly spike. Why not gradually increase a week or even two beforehand so you don't need the drastic increase all at once? Makes no sense and shows whoever makes the decisions about the dam isn't really thinking about how it might affect the fish population or those that fish it.

Cheers.