From the Bureau of Reclamation:
“As of February 6, 2023 (end of day), Flaming Gorge Reservoir pool elevation is 6006.93 feet, which amounts to 68 percent of live storage capacity. Unregulated inflow volume for the month of January is approximately 38,000 acre-feet (af), which is 94 percent of the average January unregulated inflow volume. The current average daily release is 1,760 cfs. A winter baseflow operation will continue until February 28, 2023.
Pursuant to the 2022 Plan, which was approved by the Upper Division States, the Upper Colorado River Commission, and the Department of the Interior, an additional 500 thousand acre-feet (kaf) will be delivered from Flaming Gorge Reservoir from May 2022 through April 2023 to Lake Powell. This volume was added to the spring periods by increasing the Larval Trigger Study Plan (LTSP) releases to 8600 cfs for 7 days, a 3-day smallmouth bass flow spike, as well as the summer-winter base flow period. The winter base flow will continue through February 28, 2023. This 2022 Plan will end on April 30, 2023. Under a Drought Response Operations Plan adopted in 2022, the total release volume at end of day (2/6) is ~421 kaf. The total release volume under this same plan in WY2022 is 193 kaf and CY2022 is 354 kaf. A new operation will be finalized in early May 2023, and this will contain an operation plan from May 2023 through April 2024.
Below is a description of the 2022 spring operation to determine summer, autumn and winter base flows (July 2022 through February 2023). The observed 2022 April through July unregulated inflow volume into Flaming Gorge Reservoir was 552,000 acre-feet (57% of average), a moderately dry hydrologic classification. Due to spring flows being greater than 14,000 cfs for more than 4 days in Reach 2, per the 2022 Plan, an average hydrologic operation was conducted for summer, autumn, and winter base flow.
The February forecast for unregulated inflows into Flaming Gorge for the next three months projects slightly below average. February, March, and April forecasted unregulated inflow volumes amount to 38,000 af (84 percent of average), 100,000 af (94 percent of average), and 120,000 af (96 percent of average), respectively.”
What this means:
The Bureau of Reclamation is currently operating a double peak flow throughout the day. The flow is fluctuating between 1,200 CFS and 3,000 CFS. River temperatures are approximately 37.9 degrees Fahrenheit. Current snowpack in the Upper Green River Drainage is sitting at 98 percent of normal. Current snowpack in the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 127 percent of normal.
You might see some midge activity at some point in the day, but Winter on the Green is all about the streamer game especially with the double peak in flows. The streamer bite can be fantastic while the flows are up. Depending on the day, colors will change. Generally speaking on dark or cloudy days throw dark colors and bright and sunny days throw bright colors.