The Colorado Division of Wildlife today urged high country anglers to be extra careful around swollen rivers and streams the next few weeks.
“State flood engineers are predicting that streams and rivers in northern Colorado could experience the highest water levels in 30 years, with the runoff season extending into early July,” the agency that regulates fishing said in a media release.
Water flows could ramp up quickly as temperatures in the 70s melt a record snowpack in some areas. Flood advisories have been in effect for much of northwest Colorado this week, and rivers and streams are expected to reach flood stage this weekend.
“This weekend, we expect the highest water so far this year,” said Kevin Houck, a flood engineer with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, said in a statement. “There may be a cooler period next week, but then it’s very likely the water will go back up and we may see a second peak that’s higher than the first.”
Jim Haskins of Steamboat Springs, an area manager with the Division of Wildlife, said fishing won’t be at its best this weekend, and not worth the risk.
“I’ve seen guys wading into shallow water step right off the bank of the stream not knowing it was there and be totally submerged,” Haskins said in a media release. “In a year like this, it pays to be extra, extra careful.”
Water conditions are expected to be better in southern Colorado, which had a near-average snowpack this past winter.
Ultimately, the sport will be better off for the coming deluge, the agency said in its media release.
“These sorts of years have the ability to reinvigorate the stream channel by moving sediment, cleansing substrates, putting water and sediment into riparian areas,” Ken Kehmeier, the Northeast Region senior aquatic biologist, stated.
“From that standpoint, these are great years to have. They’ll do good things for fish in years to come.”
