Portions Of The Colorado And Fraser Rivers Closed To Fishing

Fraser and Colorado Rivers in Grand County closed to fishing

Colorado Parks & Wildlife has begun voluntarily closing rivers and streams to fishing. These delicate fisheries are in trouble. This summer's relentless heat and lack of rain are threatening the survival of trout and other sport fish in the Colorado high country.

"We are experiencing one of the hottest, driest years in decades and with that, we are experiencing stream temperatures that are too hot for the survival of trout," said Kirk Klancke, president of the Colorado River Headwaters chapter of Trout Unlimited. "At stream temperatures above 65 degrees, enough dissolved oxygen can escape into the atmosphere to stress trout. At temperatures of 74 degrees, trout can die."

CP&W announced last weekend that they would be closing down both the Fraser and Colorado Rivers in Grand County. The Fraser is now closed from 2 PM to 12 AM from County highway 8 to the confluence of the Fraser and Colorado Rivers just west of Granby. The Colorado River is closed the same hours, from Windy Gap Reservoir downstream to the confluence of the Colorado and Williams Fork River.

The stream temperature problem isn't only impacting rivers in Grand County. Colorado Parks & Wildlife announced they plan to close parts of the north and south forks of the White River as well. In mid-July, CP&W closed sections of the Colorado River from State Bridge to Rifle and sections of the Eagle, Crystal, and Roaring Fork Rivers. For the latest river closure info click HERE.

Credit: Sky-Hi News