East Branch Clarion River, Elk Co, 5-1-21

[Prospector]

Time Fished: 345pm - 545pm
Weather Conditions: Sunny, 58 degrees
Water Conditions: Very Low and Clear, 52 degrees, running at 42 cfs when the daily average is about 72 cfs
Insects: lots of midges

There was a pretty significant rain event a few days earlier but water levels were far below normal. It seemed like they slowed the outflow so the lake level could be brought up significantly. This was the lowest creek water level that I have ever seen coming out of the dam. I used a Streamer most of the time and had a few fish flash at it but no takers. I fished the DHALO in 2 places. There was no one else fishing the DHALO but the open water just above the Dam Inn was packed full. It seemed like 20-25 vehicles with what seemed like an overnight event with both campers and tents. The police were on hand both times I drove past. A very disappointing trip when all other waters were running high. I thought I’d found a viable fishing option but it was not.

The high waters on the Tionesta Creek and other area streams closer to my camp coupled with it being the afternoon after the Spring Turkey opener a lot of people had nothing to do. Therefore Cougar Bob’s and the Blue Jay Inn were as packed as I’ve ever seen them. Overflow parking for the Blue Jay Inn took shape across the road on their berm.

 

[dryflyguy]

I have a friend who lives right on the river in Johnsonburg.
He recently told me that the repair work on the dam has finally been completed.
And they are filling the lake back up to normal pool levels

 

[Prospector]

DFG,
Thanks for the info. I’ll have to watch the gauge before I go back. The water was so skinny I imagine many trout made the trip downstream.

 

[dryflyguy]

The USGS gauges for the east branch have always been confusing to me.
Besides one above the dam at Clermont, you have 3 that are - I guess - right at the dam.
The first 2 are called "weir 1 and weir 6" - whatever that means.
The third just says at the " dam stage 2".

I've been going by that third one.
But not really sure if it's showing the total flow for the stream below the dam

 

[salmonoid]

dryflyguy wrote:
The USGS gauges for the east branch have always been confusing to me.
Besides one above the dam at Clermont, you have 3 that are - I guess - right at the dam.
The first 2 are called "weir 1 and weir 6" - whatever that means.
The third just says at the " dam stage 2".

I've been going by that third one.
But not really sure if it's showing the total flow for the stream below the dam

I learned something new today. I never realized there were four gauges clustered there around the dam. If you look at the Beta monitoring location site, you can see their exact locations. New this year apparently, there is a sensor on the lake that records precipitation, so even if the flow downstream is regulated by the dam releases, you can at least tell how much rain fell in the vicinity.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/03027000/#parameterCode=00045&period=P7D

Scroll down for a map that lets you zoom into the location of the gauge(s). The dam stage 2 gauge should be the most accurate for the flow below the dam.

 

[dryflyguy]

The two weir stations only report gauge height.
Which is kinda strange to me, because I've always kinda assumed that they were discharge valves inside the dam.
Maybe those numbers refer to the height inside the dam that the water is being discharged from

I've fished the stream below right up to the dam base.
And there are no low head dams there, which are the only other things I know of that would be referred to as weirs.