Kayak Idaho

USGS StreaMail - Background Information The USGS StreaMail system provides a method for you to query a USGS gaging site via email, cell phone (via email or text messaging), or handheld device, such as a Blackberry, for gage height and streamflow. You send your request to StreaMail and in a few minutes you should get a reply showing river stage and streamflow. You can use StreaMail by using either email or cell-phone text messaging. Important disclaimer: StreaMail is a "beta" product and is not meant to be used in emergency situations. Currently, there can be up to a 5-minute delay before you receive a return message from StreaMail. Using StreaMail with Email: To use StreaMail by email, simply send an email to " This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ". In the "Subject" line put a USGS station number, such as "02336300" You need to use the USGS site number to make use of StreaMail. You can obtain a list of streamgage site numbers at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/rt. Select your state from the drop down menu in the top blue bar. Then select "Streamflow Table". You will get a return email like this: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) StreaMail:
The latest river stage and streamflow values you requested from StreaMail. Site: 02336300
Station name: PEACHTREE CREEK AT ATLANTA, GA
Date: 09/30/2009
Time: 09:00:00
Stage: 2.95 feet
Streamflow: 90 cubic feet per second (cfs) Link to charts for 02336300:
Stage: http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/wwapps/zchart.php?i=nwis2&&vt=uv&&cd=00065&site_no=02336300
Streamflow: http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/wwapps/zchart.php?i=nwis2&&vt=uv&&cd=00060&&site_no=02336000 Using StreaMail with text messaging on a cell phone: Using StreaMail with text messaging is more complex than the email method. Cell phone text messages are limited to about 140 characters, so the return information is limited to just the stage and flow values. Also, text messaging methods are different for different types of phones and service providers. For example, some cell phones use a "Subject" line as the text input area while others have a message body area for their input. If your cell phone has both of these it is safest to put in your station number in both fields. For text messaging you still want to send your message to " This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ". But, it is non-standard to send a text message to an email address. By default, text messages go to a phone number. So, when you first start your text message, you have to change the input method from numbers to letters or words. One of the "hot" keys on your phone will let you change the input format. After you put in the email address hit "OK" and you will be asked to enter your actual text message. Here, you have to change your input method to numbers (the default will be letters). Just enter the USGS station number and hit "Send". The output to a cell phone will look like: From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Site 02336300 09:30
Stage: 3.29
Flow: 34 If you have any questions, contact Howard Perlman at the Georgia Water Science Center, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Black Canyon Bear River

Potential Whitewater Release Days and Times 
Within the whitewater boater season, April 1 through July 15. 2010 all Saturdays and Sundays are potentially available for whitewater releases with the exception of the Memorial Day weekend and Idaho’s Free Fishing Day.

Number of Whitewater Release Days Within the whitewater boater season, whitewater flows will be released when scheduled or available as inflow until a total of up to 16 days of whitewater releases have occurred or July 15 has passed.

Scheduled Release Days (3 days) - To facilitate a ramp rate (fish stranding) study, there will be three scheduled releases of 900 cfs during the 2010 whitewater season. Calendar
April 18, 2010 May 23, 2010 July 11, 2010
Inflow Dependent Days (12 days maximum) – These releases are dependent on inflow to the Grace Forebay being equal to, or greater than, 700 cfs.

Follow this website link to see the flows forecast below Grace Dam. Bear River Gauge

In 2009 there were four scheduled Release days. Due to the lower snowpack this year Pacificorp has been forced to  cut back the scheduled release days for 2010 to three. Kevin Lewis of Idaho Rivers United said "Pacificorp has been great to work with on the recreational releases for the Bear."  Idaho Rivers United was instrumental in obtaining whitewater releases on the Bear when FERC reissued the license for the Grace Power Plant in 2003. 
JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Google Maps. However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view Google Maps, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, and then try again.Larger Map// 0) { if (tst0_oc0r8_0.getAttribute("refreshMap")==0) clearInterval(tstint0_oc0r8_0); getMap0_oc0r8_0(); tst0_oc0r8_0.setAttribute("refreshMap", 1); } } } } function getMap0_oc0r8_0(){ if (tst0_oc0r8_0.offsetWidth > 0) { map0_oc0r8_0 = new GMap2(document.getElementById('googlemap0_oc0r8_0')); map0_oc0r8_0.getContainer().style.overflow='hidden'; map0_oc0r8_0.addMapType(G_PHYSICAL_MAP);map0_oc0r8_0.addMapType(G_SATELLITE_3D_MAP);overviewmap0_oc0r8_0 = new GOverviewMapControl();map0_oc0r8_0.addControl(overviewmap0_oc0r8_0, new GControlPosition(G_ANCHOR_BOTTOM_RIGHT));setTimeout('checkOverview0_oc0r8_0()',100); var point = new GLatLng( 44.075581, -115.541513); var centerpoint = point;map0_oc0r8_0.setCenter(new GLatLng(0, 0), 0); map0_oc0r8_0.addControl(new GSmallZoomControl3D());map0_oc0r8_0.addControl(new GScaleControl());xml0_oc0r8_0 = [];var kmlurl = 'http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&vps=1&jsv=208a&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108828693037324264743.000445e90a76e424ca4c8&output=kml';kmlurl = kmlurl.replace(/&/g, String.fromCharCode(38)); xml0_oc0r8_0[0] = new GGeoXml(kmlurl); map0_oc0r8_0.addOverlay(xml0_oc0r8_0[0]); xml0_oc0r8_0[0].gotoDefaultViewport(map0_oc0r8_0); setTimeout('savePositionKML0_oc0r8_0()',100);map0_oc0r8_0.addControl(new VersionControl()); map0_oc0r8_0.setMapType(G_SATELLITE_MAP); map0_oc0r8_0.disableContinuousZoom(); map0_oc0r8_0.disableDoubleClickZoom(); map0_oc0r8_0.enableScrollWheelZoom(); GEvent.addDomListener(tst0_oc0r8_0, 'DOMMouseScroll', CancelEvent0_oc0r8_0); GEvent.addDomListener(tst0_oc0r8_0, 'mousewheel', CancelEvent0_oc0r8_0); } } //]]> //

Middle Fork of the Salmon outfitters bring 6,000 visitors producing an economic impact of $15,000,000 to Idaho every summer.

Big Government Bureaucracy Raising Taxes on Small Business BOISE, ID - At a time when federal bailout and stimulus money is being channeled to businesses and government agencies to save jobs, the USDA Forest Service has initiated a policy with opposite implications. After paying $1.4 million in fees to the Forest Service over the past five years, outfitters on the Middle Fork say their businesses are threatened by a new fee the agency wants to charge to recover the cost for processing their permits. They wonder where the $1.4 million went which they insist should be enough to cover the cost for permit processing.

For the 25 outfitters offering river trips on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon, the financial burden is significant. The issuance of their permits has become complicated, and potentially costly, due to requirements of the Endangered Species Act and other federal regulations. Outfitters fear that open-ended studies, monitoring and the administrative costs associated with permit renewal will compound the impact of the recession and create an insurmountable financial burden. 

The viability of outfitting is important to the economic health of rural Idaho communities. The Middle Fork Outfitters Association estimates that outfitted trips produce an economic benefit valued at more than $15,000,000 to local communities. Nearly 6,000 vacationers a summer float the Middle Fork with outfitters and often extend their stay beyond their river trip. Local stores, services, restaurants, motels and specialized recreation providers see benefits. 

Grant Simonds, the Executive Director of the Idaho Outfitters & Guides Association, sees Cost Recovery as affecting all outfitters operating in Idaho. “If this policy is applied to every permit as it comes up for renewal, the results will be devastating. Lots of our members are small family businesses where any new cost has a big impact. How is a small outfit grossing $50,000 going to absorb thousand of dollars in new expenses even before they take a single guest”?

Outfitters have asked the Forest Service to revisit the regulation and make changes that will protect small businesses from exorbitant costs of prolonged processing and studies. 

For more information about the Idaho outfitting and guiding industry, contact Grant Simonds, Executive Director of the Idaho Outfitters & Guides Association at 208-343-9548 or by email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For information about the Middle Fork or to obtain a list of outfitters, visithttp://www.IdahosMiddleFork.com

Idaho streamflow prediction as of feb. 2010.
right click ... view image, for full size image.

RS 19221 Goes to House Resources Committee 
Location : State Capitol Building Room EW40
Contact : Rep. Jim Stevenson. 208 332 1136 they don't answer the phone -- typical!
Time: Thursday, 11 February 2010, 13:30

Here we go again. Parks and Rec and the Idaho State government continue to tax without representation. First they wanted to tax non motorized watercraft. The found too much opposition. so they renamed it the Invasive Species Fund and what is commonly referred to as The Idaho Red Herring Tax.  Five bucks isn't enough. Now they want to raise Eric and Butch's Idaho Red Herring Tax.