Release is 900 CFS from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM - not bad. Whitewater Nationals will be running today, so there will be some long boats flying through the Gap. Here's one from a couple of years ago:
Had a great day yesterday on the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield. We had six boats – 3 canoes (Jim, Ed and Erik) and 3 yaks (Andy, Hector and Elaine). Release was 900 cfs which is OK – maybe a little low. Weather was absolutely perfect – sunny and in the high 80’s. Great day for swimming.
We put in at around 11:30 and began working our way downstream. We ran Hangover Helper, and had a good time surfing at Carbis Bend and Freight Train before we stopped for lunch. Racers from the ACA Whitewater Downriver Nations came though after lunch. It wasn’t a big group, but they were moving. We played in Pinball for a while, but then had to pick up the pace after that so we didn’t run out of water.
By the time we reached Zoar Gap the river was already down a couple of inches. Three of us took the sneak line to the right, including Elaine who had a great first run through the Gap. Ed blasted down the middle. Only Andy tried the more difficult line to the left. He flipped at the top and a bounced down the rest of the rapid. Oh well – it was a good day to swim.
We took out at around 4:30 – the last group on the river – as usual. I got to paddle a Blackfly Option at the take out. Now that is a cool boat. Few pictures here:
The thing with the fife is what they SAY they are going to (or are) releasing is very RARELY what they actually release.
they pretty much ALWAYS say 900 unless theres been a month of rain and they can't hold the water back and then they are usually "close enough" (Last month there were a couple 2500-3000 runs on the fife - the GAP WAS ROARING! So usually when they say 900, its to keep the piece in the community but usuaually when they say 900 they creep it down to 850 or 800 when its been dry and its hot to save water.