Is the Rio Grande Safe right now?

[MyLifeOutdoors]

This may be a dumb question. I don't spend a lot of time watching the news but (none the less) have heard that a lot of bad stuff has been happing accoss the border lately.

I am planning a river trip through Santa Elena in the next couple of weeks (I never have before) and will be camping on the mexico side. Will I be in any danger from crazy mexicans that might want to kill  me and my group (or still or stuff)

[Al]

I would guess there are more crazy gringos in Terlingua than crazy Mexicans in the entire region.  I would also guess that Santa Elena Canyon given its remoteness and difficult access is a really safe place unless you turn over in the rockfall.  I'd go for it!

Al

This may be a dumb question. I don't spend a lot of time watching the news but (none the less) have heard that a lot of bad stuff has been happing accoss the border lately.

I am planning a river trip through Santa Elena in the next couple of weeks (I never have before) and will be camping on the mexico side. Will I be in any danger from crazy mexicans that might want to kill  me and my group (or still or stuff)

[Sotol Vista]

more than likely its more dangerous where you live than along the border in big bend NP. When i took a float trip through Santa Elena Canyon, there are very few places to stop at for camping and the only access is from the river, the canyon walls are way to high and vertical once inside the actual canyon.


James

[dkerr24]

The dangerous border areas are near large cities that are the main portals for drug smugglers.  The area around BIBE is so remote that noone would bother.  I'd say you would be safer there than your average neighborhood.

[steelfrog]

I was just reading in The Week last night that the 4 large U.S. cities with the lowest rate of violent crime are Austin, El Paso, San Diego and one other I can't remember.  They were all border state cities though.

I've never had even the inkling of an issue down there.  You might get someone trying to sell you something or sing to you.

[homerboy2u]

This may be a dumb question.

I am planning a river trip through Santa Elena in the next couple of weeks (I never have before) and will be camping on the Mexico side. Will I be in any danger from crazy Mexicans that might want to kill  me and my group (or still or stuff)

...Be scare...be very scare,of me. I am a crazy Mexican . No, it is not a dumb question, i sure take it as a legitimate one. Believe me when i tell you: All is well to hit the river ways on all three canyons.

 Just do not follow Presidio's footsteps and post some pictures for us, Por favor....

[MyLifeOutdoors]

Thank you everyone for the reasurance. Most of what I have heard about is accross the border from El Paso. I figured we would be safe in BIBE but thought you guys would be the only ones to tell me the truth.

I sure am glad I worded things the way I did...Hope it made you smile.

One more question...the USGS flow gauge at Lajitas says the river is between 5-6 feet. What does this equate to in CFS? is this good flow?

[bjbriggs]

Thank you everyone for the reasurance. Most of what I have heard about is accross the border from El Paso. I figured we would be safe in BIBE but thought you guys would be the only ones to tell me the truth.

I sure am glad I worded things the way I did...Hope it made you smile.

One more question...the USGS flow gauge at Lajitas says the river is between 5-6 feet. What does this equate to in CFS? is this good flow?

You need to look at this website and check Mexican Reservoirs, Lewis L. Leon.  This is the water that comes into the Rio Grande from Mexico.  Its in CMS X 35.31 give you CFS.  I'm not sure how much they use for irrigation.     http://www.ibwc.state.gov/wad/flowdata.htm

[RichardM]

One more question...the USGS flow gauge at Lajitas says the river is between 5-6 feet. What does this equate to in CFS? is this good flow?

I'd give the folks at Far Flung and/or Big Bend River Tours a holler.

http://www.farflungoutdoorcenter.com/

http://www.bigbendrivertours.com/

[Hoodoo]

One more question...the USGS flow gauge at Lajitas says the river is between 5-6 feet. What does this equate to in CFS? is this good flow?

I'd give the folks at Far Flung and/or Big Bend River Tours a holler.

http://www.farflungoutdoorcenter.com/

http://www.bigbendrivertours.com/

I hesitate to provide this information as I have not been on the rio since the flood of 2008 and have only done Santa Elena in a raft so take this for what it is worth (not much).

I think the current conditions are ideal for floating. To my knowledge there is no flow information for the gauge at Lajitas. The guage at Castolon is reporting 6.3 ft/1.13 kcfs or 1130 CFS. The Rock Slide is the biggest concern and it demands respect at any level in my opinion.

Your best source of information as Richard points out will be one of the the river tour companies

Wish I could go, I am envious, enjoy your trip.

[MyLifeOutdoors]

The guage at Castolon is reporting 6.3 ft/1.13 kcfs or 1130 CFS.

Hoodoo,

I see the USGS gage at Castolon is reporting 6.3 ft like you said. But where did you get the "1.13 kcfs" from? All I can see is the water level in feet (which tells me nothing). Are you looking at a diffrent site then I am? Do you know (and can you tell me) how to convert this info?

These are the sites I am looking at:

Lajitas: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=maf&gage=tgat2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=

Castolon: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=maf&gage=cstt2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=&type=0

bjbriggs,

Thanks for the link. looks like lots of useful info. I just need some help locating these gages on the river. Can anyone tell me where "Fort Quitman", "Rio Conchos", "Johnson ranch", and "Foster Ranch" are at? Which one of these is closest to SE?

And thanks for the river outfitter links. I have been in touch with Far Flung. But I also like to check to river levels on my own leading up to the trip.

[Hoodoo]

The guage at Castolon is reporting 6.3 ft/1.13 kcfs or 1130 CFS.

Hoodoo,

I see the USGS gage at Castolon is reporting 6.3 ft like you said. But where did you get the "1.13 kcfs" from? All I can see is the water level in feet (which tells me nothing). Are you looking at a diffrent site then I am? Do you know (and can you tell me) how to convert this info?

These are the sites I am looking at:

Lajitas: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=maf&gage=tgat2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=

Castolon: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=maf&gage=cstt2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=&type=0

bjbriggs,

Thanks for the link. looks like lots of useful info. I just need some help locating these gages on the river. Can anyone tell me where "Fort Quitman", "Rio Conchos", "Johnson ranch", and "Foster Ranch" are at? Which one of these is closest to SE?

And thanks for the river outfitter links. I have been in touch with Far Flung. But I also like to check to river levels on my own leading up to the trip.

You are using the same site I do. Click on the blue line showing the stage height  and it takes you to a tabular page that has flow information for most of the gauges.

Fort Quitman is considerably west of Presidio. Johnson Ranch is below Castolon and is used for Mariscal Canyon. Fosters Ranch is near Dryden and is a useful gauge for the Lower Canyons.

The Rio Conchos enters the Rio Grande at Presidio and this location has been called La Junta long before our lifetime.

I use the 5 SE Presidio site a lot as it is the first site above Colorado Canyon in BBRSP, from that point on it is all in the Rio Grande.

I have a link on the NWS site that imports the gauge information into Google Earth but it is not working correctly, they moved it to a different location which seems to be a common occurrence for the National Weather Service lately. I will try to find the right link and share it.

[Hoodoo]

Found the new updated link. It is located here KMZ (Observed) (399k) Updated every 15 minutes.