Is there enough water to float your boat? Why you should plan ahead before your river trip
Winooski River recreators found themselves walking the river more than floating it over the weekend.
Water levels have dropped considerably across the region in certain rivers, streams and Lake Champlain, resulting in outfitters canceling or moving paddling and tubing trips to less affected areas.
"We've definitely seen lower water levels throughout the season and more sustained levels than we have in past years," said Steve Brownlee, owner of Umiak Outdoor Outfitters. The recreation company operates in several locations across the state and moved some Richmond area tubing trips on the Winooski to the Lamoille River this past Sunday and Monday and refunded other bookings.
Stream levels are running low especially in New York, said Robert Haynes, a National Weather Service meteorologist, as well as in Lake Champlain. The lake was at 94.33 feet as of Wednesday morning, which is about half way between where it normally resides this time of year and the lowest level on record for the date. Average level is 95 feet while the lowest was 93.4 feet. "It's not too common that the lake levels get this low," Haynes said.
Levels could continue to get lower
While the levels may be low now, they may not have bottomed out yet. Haynes said the sun's angle in the sky this time of year makes for efficient evaporation and water levels may not begin to rise again until trees stop taking in as much water as they lose their leaves. Therefore, late September is usually the lowest point of the year.
Add to that, there have been drought concerns in eastern and central Vermont, particularly in Windsor and Orange counties. While there have been rain showers recently, there haven't been long, sustaining, soaking rains enough to affect the water table, Brownlee said.
He said the Winooski often dries up in late August from Middlesex to Waterbury but this year the dry conditions have affected the river further north near Richmond.
He is hopeful the rains in this week's forecast will be enough to run tubes in Richmond this coming weekend and for the next two to three weeks before they end that particular trip for the season.
The closing of Lake Champlain beaches due to cyanobacteria has made river recreation more attractive this season, according to another Umiak employee, who said it is a shame the levels have been low.
What to know if planning to get out on the water
Brownlee said you can still have your late summer float, paddling or boating trip with a little preparation. He suggests calling the outfitter to talk with their knowledgeable staff about what trips are most doable according to water levels and how far you're willing to commute.
Brownlee offered their services to anyone interested in getting out on the water, regardless of whether they booked with the outfitter. He said their team monitors levels constantly and knows what constitutes as passable when looking at data from the USGS, which can be confusing to read for those unfamiliar with interpreting the numbers.
Umiak plans to continue tubing trips in Richmond for the next few weeks, but paddling trips on the Lamoille and particularly on the Waterbury Reservoir will be running through the fall.
Call Umiak Outdoor Outfitters at 802-253-2317. Current Vermont river and stream levels can be found at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/vt/nwis/rt. Lake Champlain water level monitoring is reported at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?04294500.
Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Low water levels make recreation on VT rivers and lakes more difficult
