Gauge Description:

See (Dreamflows) and look at North Fork Kings. Normally, most of this amount will be coming out of Dinkey Creek. Dreamflows now also makes an estimate for Dinkey Creek itself. The main flow data comes from CDEC - NKD. Usually, you can subtract 30 or 40 cfs from the CDEC-NKD number to get the flow in Dinkey.

If the NF Kings is spilling, the flow in Dinkey must be estimated by subtracting flows at CDEC NF Kings above Dinkey Creek from the flows at CDEC - NKD. 

The gauge for the NF Kings above Dinkey came online in January of 2009, but it only shows stage.   Dreamflows has now constructed what we believe to be an acurate translation table from stage to cfs.  The following rough table was compiled from observations and got the ball rolling.

CDEC NF Kings above Dinkey Creek.   NDC    
3.4 = 1000 cfs
2.8 = 580 cfs
2.3 = 300 cfs
1.9 = 130 cfs
1.4 = 30 cfs approximately

USGS Historical data and other information is also available for this gauge.

There is also a fish release into Dinkey Creek from the aquaduct carrying water to the powerhouse.   The fish release can be up to 25 cfs.   Real time stage data is available at CDEC - Dinkey Creek Siphon Fish Release.    Historical data is available at USGS #2164. 

200 cfs is low for Dinkey. 400 to 600 cfs is probably optimum.   Some friends like 800 to more than 1,000 cfs, as the creek really cleans up. The push factor becomes too high for many folks at those levels though. Somewhere towards 2000 cfs nasty holes form that discourage even the bravest boaters.

Realtime rainfall and temperature information is reported by an automated weather station at Balch Camp

USGS Kings River Schematic.pdf  shows the various gauges in the basin as well as dams and powerhouses on the NF Kings.