More trouble for S. Platte
Severe flooding that caused extensive property damage in the area around West Creek and Deckers last week again played havoc with trout habitat in the South Platte River. Colorado Division of Wildlife biologist Jeff Spohn toured the areas Tuesday and found conditions similar to those in 2003, when the first heavy rains after the previous year’s Hayman fire buried the river in debris, killing many trout. “I didn’t find any dead fish,” Spohn said of his latest inspection, “but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” Spohn found solace in two things: a release of 469 cubic feet per second of clear water from Cheesman Reservoir helped dilute the muck flowing from Horse Creek into the South Platte at Deckers, and the fact that the Platte above the Deckers confluence appeared “relatively unscathed.” This recent flood delivered a major setback to a river showing signs of recovery from what has been serial shock waves after the 2002 fire.
Commission meets
Changes in the waterfowl season structure and establishing upland game bird season will be among the items of business at an 8:30 a.m. Thursday meeting of the Colorado Wildlife Commission at the Fort Collins Hilton, 425 W. Prospect Road. The policy-making body also will consider a resolution regarding reduction of the Rocky Mountain National Park elk herd, along with regulations governing the pick-up of shed antlers.
