From the Bureau of Reclamation:
“As of February 8, 2021 Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6024.71 feet, which amounts to 84 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflows for the month of January is approximately 31,500 acre-feet (af), which is 78% of the average January unregulated inflow volume.
The winter base flow period started on December 1. Winter average daily releases will meet moderately dry hydrologic condition lower targets in Reach 2 (1,100 cfs to 1,500 cfs, includes flows from the Yampa River). The daily average release of 1,000 cfs will be maintained through February, which is near +25% of the winter base flow.
The February final forecast for unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects below average conditions. February, March, and April forecasted unregulated inflow volumes amount to 33,000 af (74% of average), 75,000 af (73% of average), and 90,000 af (64% of average), respectively.
The February water supply forecast of the April through July unregulated inflow volume into Flaming Gorge Reservoir is 500,000 acre-feet (51% of average). Current snowpack is 88% of median for the Upper Green Basin.”
What this means:
Current daytime releases out of Flaming Gorge Reservoir are at 917 CFS. In the evening flows are increased to 2,100 CFS around 7 PM and drawn back down to 917 CFS around 10 PM. River temperatures are approximately 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is sitting at 75 percent of normal. Current snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 79 percent of normal.
There is some midge and some mayfly activity, but winter on the Green is all about the streamer fishing. With the lower flows I have been using lighter sink tips or you can even get away with floating line. Black, gray, and ginger have been my go to colors lately. Winter streamer patterns that I like are the peanut envy, gonga, dungeons, and sculpzillas.