• Quoted from PPL’s site: PPL Montana "The dam remains safe and stable, according to on-site monitoring equipment, and the river banks are containing the water flow.
• A plan to install a specially fabricated steel bulkhead to reduce the flow was halted over the weekend after water pressure and turbulence from the flowing water made it impossible to install guides that would have held the bulkhead in place."
• PPL engineers are researching other options at this time.
• September 8, 2008 8:00 AM

Streamers are working in the Big Water

Twenty one inch Brown caught between Mac and Varney

on a Bern’s Bad Boy, by artist Bern Sundell ,

Seventeen inch Brown caught on a Delektable Double Screamer Olive Black, September 7, 2008 Put your streamer inches from the bank in the quiet water and you will probably be rewarded. The flow of the Upper Madison remains high at 3,490 CFS and is stable: Upper Madison Flow at Cameron.

Dan Marty Nancy Brad

September 7, 2008 11:45 AM PPL Update

PPL is making progress but are experiencing some delays with the current goal to have the bulkhead lowered sometime tomorrow (Monday). We are reminded that this process is a temporary fix and if successful is expected to stem flows back to seasonal levels. This temporary structure should help PPL in determining what permanent repairs are needed.

Current flows are at 3,570 CFS. Streamer fishing remains the way to go. Also, big stonefly nymphs like the Delektable Hurless or Mega Prince should be good in the big flows.

September 4, 2008 6:00 PM

The Upper Madison remains open for day use only. Yesterday a couple boats floated the lower Upper Madison and reported spotty streamer fishing. The few fish that were caught were mostly larger (high teens-low twenties and a six incher). Today, the streamer reports were better than yesterday. We expect better streamer reports to follow. The current flows at 3,550 CFS are too high for drift boats and rafts to clear the bridges between Lyons and Palisades.

September 4, 1008 11:45 AM PPL UPDATE

PPL has informed us the engineers will be installing the bulkhead this weekend. This is a fairly involved process with multiple resources and heavy equipment. This process, once completed, is expected to block and redirect flows closer to 1,000 CFS. Starting from Friday there will be a number of large trucks and heavy equipment in the area of the dam. For the safety of everyone including traffic flow and especially because the road and area is narrow, folks are asked to not to go to the dam area unless necessary and if in the area, please park in a safe area out of the way of the heavy equipment and workers. PPL hopes to schedule a public meeting in the near future to provide more information.

PPL UPDATE
PPL has informed us that their engineers are still discussing the best method to control the flows. Decision regarding their approach and implementation will probably take a week or more, so flows over 3,000 CFS can be expected through the weekend. PPL repeats that they consider the dam to be structurally sound.

UPPER MADISON IS OPEN FOR DAY USE
The BLM and FWP have reopened the fishing access sites along the Madison for day use only. These sites will continue to be closed for camping until further notice. Flow at Cameron is 3,700 CFS. Visibility at McAtee is around 12 inches.