Let's keep in mind:
- Body was discovered by passers-by. They call it in.
- 911 call received @ 12:45 p.m.?
- LE(s) arrives when? 15 mins, 30 mins, xx mins later?
Alt, you might want to adjust for the time differences?
To what degree was MC surrounded / submerged when LE observed the body as compared to when first observed by passers-by?
Did the body also move with the 'tide' during that period?
If the folks that found the body have a cell phone to call 911, (and have reception), then they also find the body at 12:45 pm, or very close to it. If they have to go back to the house to call, then body found at 12:30ish. Meaning if feet were in the reservoir "water" when LE notices, then even more would have been in the water when the people out for a walk find it - the 11 am "surge" was still on its way down at 1 pm.
Looking at it the other way, if the people that found the body see feet in the reservoir water, then it is possible that LE would not have, (or for very long), because the "surge" waters from Rock Island Dam were completely finished by 2 pm, (in fact there was a dip in elevation below Rock Island Dam at 3 pm). --
Water level graph for the day she was found attached below.
Douglas County LE arrive just before 2 pm, (IIRC, 1:53pm). Between 3 and 4 pm Rock Island elevation climbs over a foot, likely creating another small "surge" wave at the CB shoreline by 4 pm If LE didn't get the body moved by this time, they probably would have needed to when the Rock Island Dam level increased still further at 6 pm. I think LE had time to move the body but not much
extra time, IMO.
So now, what I'm wondering is, if they found the body with feet in reservoir "water" wouldn't they ask the Dams to keep the water a little lower for a couple of days while they check out the exact area her body was recovered, (This is only assuming feet were in RESERVOIR water). I'm looking into the water level numbers for the days while LE were investigating the scene now, (well, not really right now -- but I've started and hope to get to it later today). Maybe it will show the water levels were kept lower for a few days because LE wanted to investigate right where she was found - if so, I think this would cause us to lean towards the body being found with feet in reservoir. If it shows "normal" reservoir level variances, maybe not?
This "surge" SPECULATION is leading me to believe IF the body had been placed in the water on Tuesday it would have been much higher on the shoreline. There was quite a large "surge", (including an overall higher water level), late in the evening Tuesday. Plus almost as large of a "surge", (and definitely a longer one), on Wednesday during the day.
Ok, back to work.
ETA: Data comes from Rock Island, (RIS), Tailwater Elevation (HT) and Wanapum Dam, (WAN), Forebay Elevation, (HF), both located on the very large txt document including data from many other dams for the entire month of Feb. That page is
here.