LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER (TAILWATER) TRIP THURSDAY, 6/28/12

[EMTyak]

Something come up and I can't make it :-(

[jnewcomb]

Hey Mike, can't make it down for this one but we're drying up out here in Fayetteville and would like to plan a trip down at some point. Is there a website or a phone number I can call to get some more information on what days and ours the generators will be running?

Thanks,

Jake Newcomb

[Lupe]

You can check scheduled releases here:

https://www.swepco.com/info/recreation/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(click to download the xls file that has the schedule for the dates you want)
Sometimes they have the schedule posted for a couple weeks out; other times it's late in the week before the next week's schedule appears.

1 generator = 8 so when you see 24 in the spreadsheet, that's 3 generators (both 2 and 3 generators are good to go...it's almost always 3).

If the spreadsheet has generators for "1600" that means it will start generating at 3pm (a little confusing that they list the generation for the hour "ending" instead of beginning).

I would want at least the 3 hour generation...I would worry you might run out of water before you get to the end if you only have 2 hours of generation! Given the very short and late generations, you definitely want to be ready to go with the water!

Enjoy!

[CaptDan]

I would like to thank you for posting information on this float. I have paddled in Arkansas for 35 years and did not know of this summer time float. We made the trip on Monday July 2nd. What a good break while waiting for rain. This is definitely worth taking a day off and making the trip to Murfreesboro.

[Gordon Kumpuris]

I think I'm in. Will likely have my 14 yr old and our tandem kayak. If anyone needs a ride from LR I will have a seat or two. 501-944-0480.

[Jim Krueger]

Gordon,

I think this trip was a week or so ago.

Best Regards
Jim

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Ooops. Thanks!!!!

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

The Narrows dam has been releasing in the summer for 52 years, ever since the generators went on line. This government owned dam sells the electricity through contracts that are negotiated years in advance. The guiding principle is to sell the dam generated electricity, which is CHEAP, when the cost of power from other sources is the highest, thereby reducing the cost to the public. That’s why generation occurs during peak hours in the summer and winter. Many factors affect the timing of releases, including flood conditions downstream, drought conditions, power demand, and contract obligations. The Corps office that controls the generators has always received a weekly schedule from the company that does the actual planning, AEP. AEP is under contract with SWEPCO, the owner of the power lines that distribute the juice. The generation schedule has never been publicized basically because no one asked for it until about ten years ago when I contacted the Corps and tried to get it.



The Vicksburg office routed me to several resources, none of which had the schedule. I finally was directed to the actual office that is responsible for running the dam. There I was told there was no schedule. After persisting, I was directed to the person in charge of the office. He was not familiar with email or computers, even though his staff received by email the weekly schedule from AEP. He brushed my phone calls off. As you may know, I can be a persistent pain in the rear, and the head man finally passed me off to his assistant who agreed to email me the Excel file each week after redacting sensitive information from it. I posted that information on the ACC website each Friday when I received it. Great, until that man was on vacation or out of the office for some reason at which times my phone calls were met with “What schedule? We couldn’t give that out if we had it.” There was no communication within the Corps office about releasing the schedule. It seemed like the Corps operated under the notion that civilians were a nuisance to be avoided if possible. So it went until one day I received the weekly schedule without anything redacted; the phone number of the AEP office that does the actual scheduling was left on by accident. YOU BET I CALLED THEM!!! They had no problem with making the schedule public, but sent me to SWEPCO since it really is their schedule. I contacted SWEPCO and within two weeks the schedule appeared on their website where you find it today. The schedule for multiple weeks in advance was even available, enabling people to plan trips to the river during upcoming vacations. We no longer seem to be getting multiple weeks advance notice and occasionally don’t even get the schedule for the next week. I have emailed SWEPCO about that, but have not heard back yet.

Remember that the schedules are always subject to change due to many conditions; however, I have found them to be correct 99% of the time.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[Jim Krueger]

WOW, as Paul Harvey used to say, " and now the rest of the story".
I've been making reference to this schedule for the several years since you introduced me to this float
and I never realized this bit of information. Thank you Mike!! I know myself and numerous others really enjoy
this float very much. It just wouldn't be possible to plan for it without this schedule, I'm indebted for your efforts.

Best Regards

Jim Moose

[cpresoz]

As you may know, I can be a persistent pain in the rear

Many of us don't consider you that way at all, Mike. Thanks for your persistence and your desire to keep us informed.
I grew up in DeQueen and swam and vacationed on that lake. It's time I headed down there.

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

Hello Brandy,

I hope to see you on the Little Missouri River this summer. Right now there is no water scheduled to be released from the dam; we'll all have to wait until the daytime releases begin once again. It will probably be a few weeks before they start. Keep an eye on this message board for posts about a trip to the river. You can find out more about the river at

http://class2arkansas.com/little-missouri-tailwater/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

At that same website there is information about another river in Arkansas that offers summertime paddling, the Caddo River near Arkadelphia. Look at the page called Caddo River 1.

Mike Coogan, alias Captain Aleve