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Author Topic: 2009 Chilliwack River steelhead fishery information & water condition updates  (Read 186416 times)

penn

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3 is a good flow if the water is not cloudy and has 2 feet vis at least is PRIME
It is at 3 now , which is completely choclate brown and would be considered by most most to be blow-out conditions . If you think it's prime and just a good flow , lets see you try crossing anywhere .
Looking at the graph it looks like it may hit 3.5 by tomorrow , when it was projected to peek . Should be at least a week before it drops even to a 2.5 level , which is still pretty high for Steelie fishing in the lower . That's about banks full level (3.5 is) at the train bridge .
Highest I ever saw it was 2 years ago when it got close to 4 meters and then the water was over the banks,  flooded the campsite ( which is outside the dyke ) . That day I looked at it from the train bridge and it was quite some thing to see , waves were pushing tree trunks up onto the steel protectors the bridge has around it's footings . There was a water moving at a pretty good pace along the dyke where you park your car at the Yarrow side and all the bush in there was being pushed over by the current.
The river itself under the bridge looked like the flow in the Fraser Canyon at that level .
« Last Edit: January 07, 2009, 04:29:57 PM by penn »
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chris gadsden

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I have sent a couple of pictures across the Ocean for Rodney to post. It presently is 3 to 4 feet below the top of the Rotary Trail at Lickman Road parking lot where I took the pictures.

I believe it will need about another rise of 1 meter at the Vedder Crossing gauge before we have a major flood like we have had in the past on the Chilliwack River. We have been lucky so far that we did not get a temperature of around 15 C or we would be in trouble.

The bad part for the fish and anglers could be that more clay banks may be opened up, even with the present river elevation.

Rodney

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Photos taken by Chris from the Rotary Trail at Lickman.



chris gadsden

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Rise in river has slowed some, only up 4 inches in the last 3 hours. I do not believe we have a major flood this go around.

penn

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 It takes a tremendous amount of water to go from 3 meters to 4 . Living right by the river , I keep an eye on it all the time and will be surprised to see it go much past 3.5 . Even at 4 meters it still had about 8 feet of dyke left at the train bridge . I was pretty worried when it got to the 4 meter mark 2 years ago but I looked at the dyke at the time and have to give credit to our officials for the great job they have done with their dyke maintenance to keep us all safe . And this includes the gravel extraction , which is vital to maintain the level where it is , inspite of the well meaning , but misguided opposition of some . If not for those extractions the dykes would have to be continually raised as the bed fills in , which is impossible .
The upheavel that will be caused by the very high water will be so much greater then any extraction will ever be , that the extractions would be trivial by comparison . But the fish will survive this high water like they always have .
 Anyway as the water goes way past 3 it takes a very large amount to maitain that high level and will drop very rapidly once the heavy rain subsides . Will probably get to under 3 meters in a couple of days , but then it takes some time to drop the next half meter , to where it gets into decent fishing levels again.
« Last Edit: January 07, 2009, 09:50:49 PM by penn »
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penn

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Rise in river has slowed some, only up 4 inches in the last 3 hours. I do not believe we have a major flood this go around.
On our river we may not get to flood stage , but many others already have . Seems many hillsides are causing more trouble then the rivers . Cultas lake road got washed out and the news tonight reported a mudslide into some ones home on Veddar mountain road . Langley is also in bad shape with the Neckomekal as are many areas on the Island and elsewhere. Lots of people in trouble in this. Hope it passes quick.
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WEEFISH

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I live near the Nicomekl River and as of 9 pm it is still not as bad as 2 yrs ago when it almost flooded our basement. Hope everyone makes it thru the high tide  in the AM ... I don't think it's as bad as last time YET!!

As for the Veddar I caught my 2 biggest Steelies in high and somewhat mucky waters....U never know :-\

 :oJUST BE SAFE :o
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<"((((><

penn

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 Looks like the Chilliwack may have crested  at 5 am . Lots of rain still forcast but I think it's not going up anymore as of now. Will take lots of rain for more . I agree Weefish that big rain 2 years ago was worse bt a fair margin . Seems Langley gets it worse though .Those small rivers are the worst as they don't have the big capacity .
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chris gadsden

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River dropped today but 0 visibility.

esk

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It is a good news for every body. thanks
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penn

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It is a good news for every body. thanks
Sure is a  disaster lot's of other places though . Chilliwack has declared a state of emergency , most of the damage in Greendale . Veddar Mountain road had several mudslides/avalanches and was closed for part of the day yesterday , then one lane open . Some places there look pretty bad .
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Every Day

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Greendale Feild...


A house


Next 2 are of school




And Keith Wilson Road
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esk

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It is a good news for every body. thanks
Sure is a  disaster lot's of other places though . Chilliwack has declared a state of emergency , most of the damage in Greendale . Veddar Mountain road had several mudslides/avalanches and was closed for part of the day yesterday , then one lane open . Some places there look pretty bad .
sorry about that i didn't Know.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2009, 06:51:07 PM by esk »
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Xgolfman

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Everyday was all that water from the river coming over its banks or is that just from all the rain water and snow melt gathering in one area???

Was wondering the same? C.G.'s pic's show the river lower then I would have expected, choc. for sure but at it's level now it's similar to May fishing when the freshet has started....How the hell did all that water get up there???

dss

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A lot of the flooding is from overflowing ditches and creeks that normally have substantially less water flowing in them. They are all up to the banks and in a lot of cases spilling all over roads and flooding out all the farmlands. I would assume that's how Greendale got so bad as I didn't hear of the Vedder ever breaching the dikes at any point. Greendale is also quite a bit lower elevation I believe and has a history of flooding. Still there are plenty of other flooded areas outside of Greendale that I've never really seen hit this bad.
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