JUST STICK TO THE SCHEDULE!
People’s lives depend on that info!
At the very least you are wasting and ruining someone’s valuable time and $$.
Did you recently have a bad experience ? I’m a little niave when it comes to this and assumed generation schedules wre pretty right on.
I sure did. Nothing bad happened but it ruined two good afternoons. Coulda been worse though. At least I had the sense not to wade into deep water.
I will give them this however. I have never seen them start SOONER than the schedule has said it would. That would be the ultimate in dangerous. I have seen them run longer than expected and when you are expecting water to be low on the backside of the generation it makes for some decision-making that can get people into trouble though.
Changed the schedule from running one generator from like 6-7 am to running 2 at 9-12noon. Now that can get someone into big trouble in the middle of the stream. If you know it takes water 1.5 hours to get to a particular place and you are fishing there and the water doesn’t come up, you think “well they aren’t generating today”(which happens a lot). But then a few hours later MORE water comes than you expected earlier on, that is very dangerous. There is a BIG difference between one generator and two. But usually they will start off with one and then switch to two to be safer, so you see the water rise and get out.
One generator will raise the water about 3" to 2 feet depending. On the other hand 2 generators will raise the water 1-4 feet depending on where you are. That is a huge difference.
But common sense should prevail…if you have the correct info.
I know they have a tough job trying to balance MANY variables but I wish they’d give just a bit more thought to things sometimes.
I carry a ‘smart phone’ with me and check the online schedule AND the recorded telephone schedule. Many times they are different…again very dangerous.
I must say Tennessee does a much better job than Arkansas does with this.
Now add in this to the mix. “Releases do not include normal Corp of Engineer releases” (something they tack on to all messages). Now you have the possibility for about anything. The system needs a total overhaul to give us better info. But they will just wait until someone dies before they change…as is usual for the government.
I know what you mean my 16-year old is hard to get up during the week
and on the weekends he wants to sleep in. 
I appreciate the heads up. Not an issue around here but it is were I’m going in April.
Check it the morning before you go out and a few times during the day. IT can and will change sometimes.
It’s 11:55 AM 10 Nov. Called the dam and they are still reporting 9 Nov.
51BC, we are losing about one angler every other year on the Caney Fork. Pay attention. Know where you will get out if you have to in a hurry. (Try to get out on the same side of the river as you vehicle.) When the water starts to come up, get out! The fish start hitting when the water rises. It isn’t worth playing the “one more cast” game. When the water comes up, get out.
Ed
Amen, amen, amen…I’ve had them report none and they’ve run two. I’ve had them project starting at 9 and they start at 7. If it’s not a place you know VERY well, think long and hard about using a PFD and ALWAYS have a good reference mark (rock) to keep an eye on.
…and after you’ve picked that reference rock that just sticks out of the water, place a $20 bill on top of it with a small rock to keep it from blowing away. If the water starts getting ready to take the money away, it’s time to get out no matter whether you have a fish on or not.
Wading below Buford Dam on Lake Lanier, head waters of the Chattahoochee, for about 2 miles down stream PFD’s are required for wading. There have been several guys drown over hear since I moved here in '91. They are pretty good about staying on schedule as far as I can tell and there are very loud horns located down stream and at the dam. And they only have one generator.
Before I brag on them too much they did let several billion gallons of water go downstream without knowing it because they didn’t spend about $130 to repair the gauge.
Fortunately Hotlanta didn’t need any water… <rolling eyes>
Another fact to keep in mind. TV releases are controlled from a control center in Chatanooga, TN. Pounding on the door at the local power house won’t do you any good for getting the discharge stopped.
Ed