Frog Bayou Gauge, Heads up

[kru1]

Just want to give everyone a heads up. The Frog Bayou Gauge is reading low, about a 1.5' - 2' low by my estimate.

A little history, I floated the 7 bridges section last week after a big rain to scout it for an alternative venue for Whitewater School if the Mulberry was too high. The gauge read 3.5' which is my minimum for that upper section. It was big water, much bigger then I anticipated. It felt more like 5'+.

I looked at the gauge yesterday before we got our rain (2" here in the headwaters of Clear/Frog Bayou) and it read 0.5' which is a typical reading for our summer months of July/Sept. We have had enough rain that all of are creeks are at least flowing, maybe not boatable but flowing. So that was odd to me. After we got our 2" of rain yesterday the gauge bumped up to 1.86 (which isn't floatable by the Ozark Streams page). I didn't believe it so I drove down there late this afternoon to scout it. I was right, it is totally floatable. Attached are two pics of the Grotto (take out for 7 Bridges and Lancaster put it for Ribbit Run). I can't promise that the Ribbit Run is flowing, but I know where I am boating tomorrow: the Ribbit Run.

kru

[greenbakz]

I contacted USGS and received this reply.
"It is possible that the high flows may have damaged the gage, or altered the stream bed. Our technicians routinely visit the sites to verify they are operating properly, I will have them move this site up on the list. A technician should will visit the gage by the end of next week. "

[TarponRex]

We floated the Ribbit run yesterday and we had the same thought. The gauge said 3.4 but we felt like it was well over 4.0.
And by the time we got home last night the gauge was reading 2.5. Not possible. It was a heck of a fun float though. Frog rocks.