Record-low Arkansas River flows threaten fishery

A file photo of the Arkansas River in downtown Pueblo, via Wikipedia and courtesy of the Creative Commons.

Colorado Division of Wildlife makes an emergecy $25,000 purchase of water rights to protect trout

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Hot and dry late-summer weather  almost dried up a popular Arkansas River fishery in Pueblo, but quick action by Colorado State Parks managers and the Colorado Division of Wildlife helped prevent a massive fish kill.

The state wildlife agency made an emergency $25,000 purchase of water rights to boost the flow from a trickle to a level that will protect the fishery until flows increase out of John Martin Reservoir in early October.

“The flow out of Pueblo Dam dropped because of low inflows into the reservoir combined with a reduction in water demand for downstream irrigation,” said Grady McNeil, resource support manager for the division of wildlife. The river could have remained dangerously low for an extended period if additional releases had not occurred, he added. (more…)

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 5,596 other followers