Is the Poudre River Already on the Rise?

Will the Poudre River rise early this year? Though there was very little snow compared to last year, raft companies are still expecting to have a good year. The flow of the river does depend mostly on the amount of snow the mountains on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, but there are also other things that can fill up the river. An article from the Coloradoan talks about water released from reservoirs in the mountains.

...rafting companies are counting on late-season irrigation releases from brimming mountain reservoirs to sustain the rafting season through what is expected to be a tepid mountain runoff this spring.

It's pretty amazing to think that last year people were risking life and limb if they even entered the river in May and June. Water levels were at an all time high, reflecting a snowpack that was also at an all time high. When the melt began in earnest, I floated the Filter Plant section of the Poudre and was actually very scared. This section only goes to class 2 and 3, normally something that is completely in my comfort zone, but the water levels and temperature presented a whole new level of danger.

So, this year, the runoff could be shorter and may arrive earlier.