Tea with skimmed milk

22X/Fish Creek Park, Frid Apr 29 2011. Photo: Bow River Shuttles

I imagine we are going to experience quite a variety of water conditions as we move further in to spring. It is spring, isn’t it?? Continuing snowfall in the foothills, and a lot more in the mountains, means that we may continue to experience off-again, on-again, surface runoff prior to the major runoff from the mountain snow pack.

In any case, we noticed yesterday and today that the water colour in the Bow River had improved from a medium brown colour to the colour of tea with skim milk. (credit to SouthBow Fly Shop, who used that wording in a post of their own). Fish Creek, which had been running chocolate brown at bankfull stage, had receeded considerably.

Upstream of the Ivor Strong Bridge, the colour was looking better: a murky dark green.

The river flow charts from Alberta Environment River Basins confirm a fairly steep drop on Fish Creek, with a more moderate decline on the Elbow and Highwood Rivers.