The drownings occurred at the irrigation outflow just downstream of the
Teanaway River. When the outflow is running at full blast it dumps in
350-400 cfs of water that has been accelerated down a chute that is ~100
feet high. The hydraulics from the resulting fountain of water is quite a
sight - and potentially very hazardous if you get dumped in the water as the
force of the current is strong enough to hold even a strong swimmer down.
As mentioned in another posting - it would be wisest to line your boat or
portage around, but I have carefully and gingerly rowed my raft on the far
left side margin and made it through safely.
There are also a fair amount of sweepers in the upper Yakima, be careful and
alert.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 9:22 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Yakima Report
Thanks for the report Gary. I usually fish the Cle Elum area just above the
put-in point. I am planning a trip for Sept 7 and the 15th. Any idea what
the conditions might be? I usually wade and it can be impossible if the
water level is too high.
I was unaware of the accidents but heard about a drowning. What hapened,
and
should I expect anything out of the ordinary when I arrive at Cle Elum?
Thanks for any info.
Eric Hausman
In a message dated 9/3/01 1:32:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Subj: Yakima Report
> Date: 9/3/01 1:32:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Gary Meyers)
> Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (WA Fly Fishers)
>
>
> I fished the Yakima River with my 14-year old son on Friday, August 31.
We
> floated the �ranchlands� section, near Ellensburg, from the diversion dam
> near Thorpe to Ringer Road. The water is dropping and was in great shape
for
> the first half of the float (roughly the section from the dam to the
KOA).
> It was still a bit high from the KOA to Ringer Road. We fished big dries
> (stimulators, hoppers, madame x�s) with nymph droppers (princes, pheasant
> tails, hare�s ear beadheads). We caught plenty of fish (maybe 3 dozen)
but
> nothing of any real size. The larger fish were swimming under the fly and
> following and nosing it or making false strikes. The bigger fish were
pretty
> much ignoring the dropper, too. A local guide I talked to said that was
the
> story the past couple of days. I would expect the river to start
producing
> larger fish as the dam-controlled irrigation flows are shut off and the
> river continues to drop.
>
> On a side note, there is a lot of tension on the river related to the
recent
> accidents and drownings at the spillway further upriver near Cle Elum. I
ran
> into an Ellensburg water official who controls the irrigation dam where
we
> put in. He was quite agitated. He said that local officials and the
> Sheriff�s department were encouraging recreational floaters to avoid the
Cle
> Elum area and to float the lower Yakima Canyon instead. There were signs
> posted to that effect. Officials were also asking the local raft rental
> companies to discourage their renters from floating past the spillway or
> over the irrigation weir. I have floated through the spillway area many
> times in the past and can attest to its danger. When the water is coming
> down the chute in heavy volumes it is almost impossible to row around. We
> line the boat or portage.
>
> Gary Meyers
> Kirkland
> >
> >
> >
> >
