DARN THAT TAZLINA ICE DAM! "How High Is the Water, Mama? ...Five Feet High & Rising" --Johnny Cash Tazlina River Bridge (St...
https://www.countryjournal2020.com/2024/08/the-river-is-high-tazlina-glacier-ice.html
DARN THAT TAZLINA ICE DAM!
"How High Is the Water, Mama?
...Five Feet High & Rising"
--Johnny Cash
 |
| Tazlina River Bridge (Stock Photo, U.S. Geological Survey) |
Ice Dam's Annual Tazlina River Flood Report
By Bruce Cain, August 5th, 2024
The glacier lake outburst on the headwaters to Tazlina Lake is a regular, somewhat annual event, usually in August (Usually but never assume with the Copper)It can happen any time and has even happened in the winter.It is important to keep track of for people running fishwheels downstream of the confluence of the Tazlina and the Copper Rivers.All the debris can jam and wreck fishwheels or even snap tie lines with all the pressure of the logs and high water.The river was high but steady level last night but running clean of debris.Saturday, the Copper River below the Tazlina was jammed with logs and was rapidly rising.I believe it has peaked or will peak soon.There is a second lake that can go out and start everything again and if it happens soon, will add to the already high levels and create even more problems.When the water clears out of the backed up lake(s), there will be a rapid drop in water level.No one worries about or reports rapid drops in water levels.However, rapid drops in water levels can be just as damaging and dangerous as a rapid rise in water level.
A rapid drop in water level can sink your boat if you have it tied up to a cut bank or leave it high and dry with a big project to refloat it.It can also set your fishwheel down on the bank and/or logs and debris that got jammed on the wheel and can be dangerous and difficult to clear.So check your boats and wheels regularly if you have one in the water downstream from the confluence of the Tazlina and the Copper.The biggest affected area on the Copper is Copper Center as this is closest to the Tazlina river and has the most direct influence on its rapid changes in water level.
–––––––
JOURNAL BACKGROUND, AUGUST 2020
SEE FULL STORY FROM 2020 HERE:
