| OUR NETWORK: HUNTING | FISHING | SURVIVAL | OUTDOOR SEARCH | OUTDOOR FORUMS | PERSONALS | SHOPPING | TELEVISION | VIDEOS |
 |
| Home | Articles | Guides | Community | Research | Resources | Shopping | Tools | Videos | ||
|
||||||||||
|
Home > Fish and Wildlife Service News >
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
2006 Runoff Fizzles, Disappoints Fish Biologists, But Hastens Fly AnglingWyoming Game and Fish Department — 7/14/2006Nature's faucet shut off so completely that early July stream levels look more like late July or August levels in many areas. A moderate plus side to the situation has been fly anglers getting on streams earlier than expected and stream anglers are encouraged to take advantage of it while they can. The exception to the runoff disappointment is the Snake River drainage that received better spring moisture and had greater snowpack going into spring. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's fisheries supervisors offer their observations on this summer's water situation. "From looking like we were going to be flush with runoff in April, we're essentially in the same situation here in early July as we were at this time last year," said Mike Snigg of Laramie. He laments that Grayrocks and Wheatland No. 3 reservoirs along with Lake Hattie will not be adding any storage, and adds, "Wheatland No. 3 has been barely holding on and I fear the reservoir is ripe for a winterkill." Al Conder of Casper was hoping the early water prospects would add storage to Seminoe and Pathfinder reservoirs on the upper North Platte River - but the impoundments will actually lose a little water in 2006. Since boaters and anglers are accustomed to the drought, "This shouldn't be a major problem," he said, while cautioning boaters to always to be on the lookout for rocks and other hazards exposed by receding water. Recreationists can also expect the water fluctuations at Glendo Reservoir to be very similar to past years. He says these snowpack statistics for the watershed he oversees sums up this season's water situation: April 1 - 117 percent of average, May 1 - 77 percent of average. Flaming Gorge Reservoir was also hoping to add to its pool -- about 7 feet specifically -- to reach a level of 6,033 feet this summer, but will be lucky to add 2 feet to its storage, reports Bill Wengert, fish biologist in Green River. With that disappointment, the Christmas trees he and volunteers placed along the shoreline Feb. 23 to improve fish habitat likely will not get submerged this summer. He was pleased that there was sufficient runoff to fill the new High Savery Reservoir northeast of Baggs this spring - but the rest of the ponds and streams in that general area reflected August conditions in late June. To the north, Dave Dufek of Lander, is very concerned about the future of small reservoirs, such as Happy Springs and Silver Creek in the Beaver Rim and Jeffrey City areas. He said the impoundments were low entering spring and with virtually no runoff are vulnerable to fish die-offs or even drying up this summer. Early forecasts had the popular Boysen Reservoir filling this year - but it will likely end up lower than it was entering spring. He said that probably contributed to the reservoir failing to produce its usual torrid walleye fishing in June. Dufek explains the improved water level of 2005 produced successful hatches of almost all species in Boysen. With 2006 water levels receded from protective vegetation, all those small fish are forced to open water where they are ultra-vulnerable to walleye. "I just don't think the walleye ever got very hungry due to all the available forage," Dufek said. In Sheridan, Paul Mavrakis says he and his crew are "hoping for the best" in northeast Wyoming. In last year's healthy runoff, he said shovelnose sturgeon were documented in relatively high numbers in the Powder River. A project to identify timing and locations of sturgeon in the Powder River was conducted this spring and less than 15 were found. Low runoff probably kept most sturgeon downstream in Montana. Like Dufek, Mavrakis has the most serious concern for his low-elevation reservoirs, such as the Gillette Fishing Lake. But he isn't predicting any impending doom for the region - providing 2007 is a better moisture year. As cited by several of his cohorts, Mavrakis identifies a social benefit of the runoff disappointment was fly anglers being able to practice their craft earlier in the season. Cody area fish managers experienced less disappointment because they had less expectations. "We knew going into spring we were going to face some problems," said Steve Yekel, of the area's weak snowpack. Other entities are also recognizing the water shortage, with the Bureau of Reclamation releasing conservative flows from Buffalo Bill Reservoir and irrigators restricting use. He forecasts low water and higher temperatures on streams, which historically generate requests for emergency regulations or even closures from concerned anglers. "We believe when these conditions reduce available habitat and are stressful to fish, that's reason to keep fishing to put the fish in the freezer instead of having them perish," Yekel said. He urges catch and release anglers to use heavier tackle to reduce the time the trout is on the line. Hilda Sexauer of Pinedale also recommends taking advantage of cooler water temperatures at dawn and dusk if planning to release fish in her water-beleaguered watershed. She also recommends anyone wishing to float the upper Green River - which had been fishing "very well" this season -- to do it soon due to dropping flows. "In addition to getting little spring snow, we have not gotten hardly any rain and it has been extra hot and windy," Sexauer said. Looking at U.S. Geological Survey records, Sexauer said on July 13, 2005 the Green River at Warren Bridge was running over 1,000 cubic feet per second, compared to 694 CFS this July 13. By July 21 last year, the flow had receded to around 690 CFS. Wyoming at least has one watershed that is an exception this year in the Snake. The drainage had great winter snowpack and average spring snow to fill Jackson Lake and Palisades Reservoir and keep the Snake River high into July. "Overall, the Snake River drainage in Wyoming is experiencing a good moisture year," said Rob Gipson of Jackson.
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| About Us | Advertise With Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Submit Your Site | |
|
Copyright © 2007 Henricks Outdoors, LLC All Rights Reserved |
|
|
The Henricks Outdoors Network is a publisher of Web sites in the sports and outdoor recreation market:
|
|