The anxiously awaited monthly water supply outlook from the Bureau of Reclamation has been issued and this is what it shows…

The most probable flow scenario has things peaking this month at around 7500 cfs and while we are exceeding that at the moment by about 1000 cfs the chart indicates a stabilization  in the 4000 cfs range for the summer season. Max probable would see a peak near 12K (which we saw at the end of May) and stabilized flows in the 5000 cfs range for the remainder of the season.

I’ve still heard whispers of high water coming but if we acknowledge the fact that this monthly report from the Bureau not only takes into account snowpack and forecasted weather for the region but is essentially a scientific model of flows based on those factors and how they relate to the filling of Canyon Ferry Reservoir,  then we can assume with a fairly high level of confidence in our assumption, that we’re in for a great water year on the Missouri from an angler’s perspective.

Of course we could still see above average precipitation bumping things up beyond the most probable flow predictions but the extended precipitation forecasts I’ve seen don’t really indicate this.

Canyon Ferry is currently 83% full which is 109% of the 30 year average.The anticipated inflow for the June through July runoff period is forecasted to be 898,000 af, or 99 percent of the 30 year average.

The bottom line is that if you’ve been laying awake at night worrying about high flows ruining your trip to the Missouri then I think you can start to get some rest knowing that while it may not be the wader’s delight it’s been for the past several years you should have plenty of wade fishing opportunities this summer on the MO’.