more good news

[nymphingmaniac]

More dam good news. Bottom release from bells gap reservoir. The old dam was top release and made the water below the dam too warm for trout. It's stocked in season. Bells gap run is a trib to the LJR and this should reduce the temperature on the upper J during warm spells.

https://www.huntingdondailynews.com...cle_627c7f74-4358-11ef-a853-afd234d5ee4a.html

https://www.outdoornews.com/2024/06/28/reservoir-upgrade-in-blair-county-pa-to-boost-trout-streams/

 

[DGC]

Does anyone have information about the volume of cold water available after completion? That is to say, will cold water run out at some point during Summer as it does on the Tully?

 

[Swattie87]

Bellwood Reservoir (49 acres) is much smaller and is being fed by much colder water than Blue Marsh (1150 acres). While in theory the same issue could occur at both once Bellwood is tailwater, they’re not really all that comparable IMO.

 

[rrt]

I think this is hopeful. I do wonder how much water will flow out of the dam during the midsummer, esp. one like this. It might amount to only a trickle. Even so, the bottom release should be an improvement and may increase the # of wild trout below the dam.

 

[Dave_W]

I think this is hopeful. I do wonder how much water will flow out of the dam during the midsummer, esp. one like this. It might amount to only a trickle. Even so, the bottom release should be an improvement and may increase the # of wild trout below the dam.

Agree with this.
This is indeed good news. Some details will clarify over time but this seems a significant local improvement and part of a larger, statewide, tick of the needle in the right direction.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Does anyone have information about the volume of cold water available after completion? That is to say, will cold water run out at some point during Summer as it does on the Tully?

I don't. But the current dam (I think like all dams) has a minimum conservation release. Even if it remains the same, having cool water versus warm top water is a big plus. People may not know that BG reservoir is used as a reserve source, a back up, for the city of altoona. They don't draw water for drinking regularly. So, there is no motivation to hold more back... that is unless one of the main reservoirs has to be drawn down. what flows in, flows out. LJRA is gathering information and one of its directors is a retired AWA employee and is very knowledgable about the reservoir system.

 

[krayfish2]

Don't release from the cold water pool until later in June and it might helpa fair amount