June 11/09 - The river has not colored up due to run off. Water color looks like a post run off river. I'm not sure if we will get run off this year. The weather forecast doesn't indicate a big bump in flow.

This years snow pack was about 87% of 2008 level. As of June 2nd there is still 68% of snow pack yet to melt.

June 2009

Banff Calgary Carseland Elbow Highwood

Snow Pack, Convert cms to cfs multiply by 36, nr (not reporting)  ? (wrong reading)  High  Low

 1 91 86 127 23 71 1880 mm snow/water equivalent yet to melt   Run off beginning in Banff but not yet reached Calgary.
2 80 99 119 14 59 1770 mm snow/water equivalent left  Forecast for temps in the teens and showers by Thurs.
3 79 110 107 13 48 Friday forecast 8C and rain, Saturday 11C and rain, lows both days around 0C.
4 91 115 104 12 44 1700 mm left  Showers tonight, rain Fri, Sat & Sun. Expecting 40 to 50 mm.
5 106 122 111 13 43 1580 mm left  Weather people???  Now expecting less than 10 mm.
6 112 131 141 17 50 1460 mm (56%) left  Snow then rain overnight. Below average temps into mid month.
7 92 130 151 14 49 1410 mm left  Continuing cool with overnight lows in the low single digits.
8  74 131 143 14 42 1450 mm left  Mountains got some snow and cool temps continue for the week.
9 63 128 142 8 38 1490 mm left  More snow up high.
10 56 129 127 9 33 1510 mm left  
11 54 131 128 12 31 1430 mm left  Rain forecast Mon thru Wed next week.
12 63 126 124 8 30 1490 mm left  Rain forecast gone - weathermen?
13 78 121 131 8 35 1420 mm left  
14 104 122 148 19 43 1340 mm left  Showers back in forecast.
15 123 123 145 15 46 1240 mm left  Whoops, showers all but gone again. Long range forecast showing temps above average.
16 140 127 147 14 51 1085 mm left (40% left)  
17 143 146 186 23 50 990 mm left  Below average temps thru end of month.

June 17/09 - the Bow has colored up some with the increased flow. Flows would have to double, in my opinion, to be considered run off volume! Comparing banner photos this one shows a less blue river.

18 135 169 187 22 49 985 mm left  June rain in forecast for Sat/Sun/Mon. Up to 45 mm. This would be run off.
19 128 169 205 26 46 890 mm left  Whoops, now only 10mm forecast.
20 115 169 189 20 42  
21 113 168 179 17 39 About 900 mm left  
22 115 167 185 22 41 Gov't not updating remaining snow pack. Rain forecast tonight and tomorrow.
23 106 167 175 14 41 Still not updating and I've no idea how much snow remains. Kind of defeats the purpose!
24 96 166 169 11 39 Gov't has not updated since mid month. 
25 88 141 141 13 35  
26 91 136 122 8 32  
27 86 123 112 8 30  
28 74 120 97 8 27  
29 74 108 87 8 25

 

30 71 98 71 6 24 Still no update on snow packs. Can't imagine much snow left. Typical Gov't performance.
             

     

Photos taken June 11/09

   

Photos taken June 17/09 - indicate higher flow and some color to the water. Still plenty of visibility.

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