Two campgrounds open, fishing resumes
at Roaring River State Park
Shown above, a view of Campground 3 (facing east) the day after the April 28 flood at Roaring River State Park.
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Shown above, a view of Campground 3 (facing southwest) at Roaring River State Park after the campground reopened, five days after the April 28 flood.
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May 5, 2021
Sheila Harris
Campgrounds 1 and 3 at Roaring River State Park have reopened to the public after the clean-up of debris left by the Wednesday, April 28, flood. Officials are hoping to reopen Campground 2 by Thursday, May 6.
All fishing zones are now open from 6:30 a.m. - 8:15 p.m.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey website, water discharge rates at the Roaring River gage rose from a daily average of 80 cubic feet per second the week prior to the flood, to 10,000 cubic feet per second during the April 28 flood. That rate has since diminished.
“No fish were lost at the hatchery during the flood,” Spurgeon said Thursday, “but we may see a higher mortality rate among the fish during the coming days as a result of the muddy water conditions.”
Spurgeon credits the recently completed hatchery renovations with the staff’s ability to keep all of the fish safe.
Spurgeon hesitates to call Wednesday’s flood “historic.”
“Every flood is unique depending on rainfall rate, water velocity, and the direction the water comes from,” he said.
“Flood waters typically come from one of two directions,” Spurgeon explained, “either from the canyon behind (to the north of ) the hatchery, or down Dry Hollow which bisects Highway 112 to the south of the hatchery. If the flood comes from just one of those directions, we call it ‘one-prong.’ With this flood, water came from both directions and was what we call a ‘two-prong flood,’ which inevitably affects the south end of the park (Campgrounds 2 and 3).
Roaring River Park Superintent, Joel Topham, said water did get into the main camp office with this flooding event, with water coming from Roaring River Hollow, Piburn Hollow and Dry Creek. Campgrounds 1, 2 and 3 were evacuated. No injuries were reported, although vehicles and camping equipment were affected.
Park officials are still asking for volunteers for continuing clean-up work. Those willing to help may call 417-847-2539.
Sheila Harris
Campgrounds 1 and 3 at Roaring River State Park have reopened to the public after the clean-up of debris left by the Wednesday, April 28, flood. Officials are hoping to reopen Campground 2 by Thursday, May 6.
All fishing zones are now open from 6:30 a.m. - 8:15 p.m.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey website, water discharge rates at the Roaring River gage rose from a daily average of 80 cubic feet per second the week prior to the flood, to 10,000 cubic feet per second during the April 28 flood. That rate has since diminished.
“No fish were lost at the hatchery during the flood,” Spurgeon said Thursday, “but we may see a higher mortality rate among the fish during the coming days as a result of the muddy water conditions.”
Spurgeon credits the recently completed hatchery renovations with the staff’s ability to keep all of the fish safe.
Spurgeon hesitates to call Wednesday’s flood “historic.”
“Every flood is unique depending on rainfall rate, water velocity, and the direction the water comes from,” he said.
“Flood waters typically come from one of two directions,” Spurgeon explained, “either from the canyon behind (to the north of ) the hatchery, or down Dry Hollow which bisects Highway 112 to the south of the hatchery. If the flood comes from just one of those directions, we call it ‘one-prong.’ With this flood, water came from both directions and was what we call a ‘two-prong flood,’ which inevitably affects the south end of the park (Campgrounds 2 and 3).
Roaring River Park Superintent, Joel Topham, said water did get into the main camp office with this flooding event, with water coming from Roaring River Hollow, Piburn Hollow and Dry Creek. Campgrounds 1, 2 and 3 were evacuated. No injuries were reported, although vehicles and camping equipment were affected.
Park officials are still asking for volunteers for continuing clean-up work. Those willing to help may call 417-847-2539.
