Late May and early June is usually high season for river surfing in Colorado. Here is a quick news roundup on the state of the state.

Dry Denver

River Run Park, Denver’s crown jewel, has been unusually dry this spring. Depending on your tolerance for low flows, it usually needs about 200 cfs to come in, but only a few rain events have bumped it up. We haven’t seen a release out of Chatfield with enough water all spring. Our snowpack has been about average, so it seems likely the doldrums are due to the Chatfield Reallocation Project, which has expanded Chatfield’s storage capacity. Seems like they’ve held onto the extra water to fill it up.

Bust at Las Colonias

Las Colonias is a newly-completed river park in Grand Junction. Initial reports about the park discussed river waves designed for stand-up paddleboards. Unfortunately, the park looks to be a bust for river surfing, with maybe only a week beginner wave at lower flows. Later reports on the park discuss the design evolving so that more people could enjoy the park. But the waves are so flat they’re nearly nonexistant (and at high water, may be actually nonexistant).

Better Luck in Fort Collins

Things are looking better at the Poudre Whitewater Park in Fort Collins. It’ll be interesting to see how sediment settles into the park, but early reports of the first spring season seem promising, at least for SUPs and higher-volume shortboards.

Eagle, Glenwood, and Pueblo

Not to be forgotten, Eagle, Glenwood, and Pueblo have all had water. Though Glenwood never got terribly high, it was plenty enough for things to clean up (low teens), and Eagle and Pueblo have both had a strong couple of weeks. It looks like we’re near peak in the first week of June, so get out while the getting is good.