2009 has been a great year for rain in the Central Maryland region. Both City reservoirs were full since late winter, and Prettyboy Reservoir has added warmer spillover all Spring to the cold bottom releases on the Gunpowder River. The mix of warm and cold water is the result of Baltimore City Water and MD Fisheries officials attempting to maintain levels in the reservoir, while increasing water temps in an effort to boost insect hatches. After numerous gate changes this Spring, the City was pulling from the 55 foot gate, yet surface spillover brought temps to nearly seventy degrees in the upper C & R sections with recent thunderstorms. Considering the river supports wild browns for 17 miles, the few miles below the dam were reaching stressful levels for the trout, let alone the many miles further down river. Last weeks fluctuating flows were the result of a quick response and planned release by the City to lower levels in Prettyboy and prevent warm spillover from mixing with cold bottom releases. By Friday of last week temps dropped from 68 to the 56 degree range midday at Falls Rd. Currently flows are clear, in the 31 Cfs range and ice cold in the mid to upper fifties throughout the C & R sections.