Colorado Snowpack below average: Low snowfall can affect fisheries and angling in the summer months

Below average snowpack in Colorado's mountain basins

Colorado's snowpack is currently at 79 to 90% percent of average for this time of the year. There is still time to catch up, but the fact is that a low snow pack can spell trouble for months to come, affecting agriculture, fish and wildlife, recreation and tourism.

Endangered species program affects local fishing economy in Colorado

 Yesterday representatives from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation addressed the Basalt, Colorado town government to make it clear that the endangered species program trumps local fishing concerns. 

Members of the Basalt governments and local fly fishing shops are concerned because fishing in the Fryingpan River was compromised last summer, mostly in the month of August, when high water flows resulted in cancellation of booked fishing trips. Apparently, there were 23 days between June 1 and Sept. 1 when water flows on the Fryingpan River exceeded 350 cubic feet per second.

The high flows came after the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service practiced its right to make a call on water, for which they have a contract, to supplement flows in the Colorado River to protect fish habitat near Palisade, Colorado. The endangered species of concern include the pikeminnow, razorback sucker, humpback chub and bonytail chub.

Western water rights are complicated

There are several factors that affect flows in the Colorado River, including water calls made upstream by the Shoshone Power Plant, front range water use, agricultural water use, releases from Reudi Reservoir and weather factors. Last year, was an unusually low flow in the Colorado, which resulted in an additional call on the water from Reudi Reservoir, above the Fryingpan River for the endangered fish recovery program.

Ultimately, however, the goal to save the rare fish in the Colorado the Endangered Species Act takes precedent over local economic concerns surrounding angling in the Fryingpan River.

Additional resources:

See the full article in yesterday's Aspen Times.

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

Upper Colorado Endangered Fish Recovery Program

Roaring Fork Conservancy

Taylor Creek Fly Shops

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