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Welcome to the Fishing Report from Townsend, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. At 5:59 am, the temperature outside is 30.7 degrees.
After widespread dense freezing fog moves out this morning, it will be sunny with a high temperature of 55 degrees. The low tonight will be in the low 40’s. Warmer air moves in tomorrow, continuing through Wednesday.
Rain will arrive tomorrow and last through Thursday. We can expect 3 to 6 inches of rain or more over the next few days. We will be under a flood watch.
Rainfall so far this year, recorded at the Knoxville Airport is 13.15 inches, compared to normal of 5.53 inches, or 7.62 inches over normal. Last year, rainfall for the year through February 8th was 5.78 inches.
Little River is flowing at 1,010 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 3.38 feet on the flow gauge. Median flow for this date is 287 cfs.
The water temperature at the Little River Townsend USGS gauge has not been transmitting since last Thursday, when the flow exceeded flood stage. My guess is, the temperature probe washed away. The water temperature is probably in the low to mid 40’s, using the Oconaluftee River temperature for comparison.
Most if not all streams in the Smoky Mountains are flowing high. Most water levels are too high to safely wade.
It appears US Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) between Sugarlands Visitors center and Cherokee, NC is still closed.
TVA, Brookfield and the Corps of Engineers are generating around the clock and sluicing or spilling at all of the dams in our area. They are trying to lower the lakes as much as possible, to prepare for the expected heavy rain this week.
I talked to my neighbor Brad, yesterday. He manages the dams on the Little Tennessee River, owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy. He told me they were working long hours last week, spilling at their dams. He said they were flushing over 20,000 cfs through Chilhowee Dam. I think he said 25,000 cfs but I’m not sure. Right now, the discharge at that dam is 18,557 cfs.
The dams he is in charge of have to discharge the water released by TVA at Fontana Dam, upstream. Brookfield owns Chilhowee, Santeelah, Cheoah and Calderwood dams.
The fishing news is not what we would hope for right now. We need relief from the rain and that does not appear to be coming soon.
When the waters recede, fishing should be very good in the Smokies. February is predicted to be warm through the 23rd. It is going to feel like Spring.
Have a great day and thank you for being here with us.
Byron Begley
February 9, 2020
Respond to: byron@littleriveroutfitters.com |