ratagonia said:
Near the head of the marked watershed is a place marked “spring”. This is the source of water in Boundary. You walk by that spring on the way to Boundary about 15 minutes into the hike (if you go that way, which is the easiest way), and can judge how much water will be in Boundary canyon at that point.
These things are not too hard to figure out, if you look at the map. Jus’ Sayin’…
Tom Click to expand…
ucla56
Any recent on Boundary and Kolob? I imagine at this point boundary would be getting dry and Kolob would depend on the release schedule?
We are planning on doing Kolob this Saturday.
Ross Platt
Two weeks ago Boundary was dry and the lower portion of Kolob was no more than waist deep. We didn’t have wetsuits but did have neoprene socks and liked having those.
Krampus
They told me the same thing last week. They weren’t planning on releasing any water but it was spilling over. Kolob Creek didn’t appear to be flowing very much when we got there from Boundary.
ratagonia
BELOW the technical section of Kolob, a lot of the released water disappears into the ground. Unpredictable.
Tom
ratagonia
And, VERY IMPORTANT, should always always always check the flow in Kolob at the bridge where the Kolob Terrace road crosses Kolob Creek. Trust, but Verify.
ratagonia
Welcome to the forum, Imba.
Have you read the posts on this thread? Allow me to summarize.
The Kolob Reservoir feeds Kolob Creek. Early in the season, especially when there is significant snowfall like this year, the dam overflows for quite a while, and the flow is neither measured nor controlled, and likely too high to canyoneer Kolob creek, Kolob canyon.
Boundary Canyon is fed by a spring fairly high in the watershed. Kolob Reservoir does not feed Boundary Canyon. In big snow years, Boundary usually runs with nice water into the summer. In dry years, it does not run very late, or at all. Currently Boundary is running with a nice flow. I have always found it quite cold when it is running, even though it does not have swims.
Boundary feeds into Kolob Creek a few miles upstream of the MIA Exit. When Boundary is flowing high, it can be challenging and slow to get from Boundary to the MIA Exit, but there are no technical obstacles. BELOW the technical section of Kolob, a lot of the released water tends to disappear into the ground. Unpredictable, though higher in spring, lower in summer.
The Washington County Water Conservancy District manages Kolob Reservoir and the Dam, and, after it stops overflowing, manage the release of water from the Dam into Kolob Creek. The water flow where the stream enters the technical part of Kolob Canyon may be higher or lower than what they are releasing from the dam. Generally, the fun water flow is 3-5 cfs. Perhaps up to 8cfs is fun for people with Class C canyon experience. 10 cfs and above is very close to impossible. The technical part of Kolob Canyon is inside the Park and requires a Park permit, which they will not offer if the WCWCD is releasing more than 5 cfs from the Dam.
YOU must call the WCWCD to check the stated release level if you want to do Kolob Canyon. They keep normal office hours, which might or might not be 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. You cannot reach them on a Saturday or Sunday. And, VERY IMPORTANT: should always always always check the flow in Kolob at the bridge where the Kolob Terrace road crosses Kolob Creek. Trust, but Verify.
If you ask the Water District how much water is flowing in Boundary Canyon, they will think you are unaware that their Dam ONLY feeds one stream, Kolob Creek. There are very few dams in the USA, perhaps even zero dams, that feed more than one watershed.
Tom