Colorado Parks and Wildlife salvages over 1,000 trout as Denver Water drains reservoir

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has salvaged over 1,000 trout from Antero Reservoir as Denver Water continues its efforts to move water downstream.

Due to Colorado's prolonged drought, the reservoir is being drained into the Cheesman Reservoir. Denver Water says approximately 25% of the water would have evaporated over the year if it had stayed in Antero, and the move will preserve approximately 5,000 acres of water.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife approved a fish salvage for Antero in April in anticipation of the reservoir's closure. Bag and possession limits for all species were lifted at the reservoir through May 13, before it closed to public access.

CPW aquatic biologists and Denver Water staff also worked to remove as many fish as they could, salvaging over 1,000 trout through electrofishing. They say 981 rainbow, brown, cutthroat and other hybrid trout species have been relocated to Eleven Mile Reservoir. The remainder was released into the South Fork South Platte River.

"It felt great to be able to salvage fish from Antero Reservoir and relocate them to another location where they can be enjoyed by anglers," said CPW Northeast Senior Aquatic Biologist Kyle Battige. "Antero can grow some really nice trout, and we were able to move 981 fish over to Eleven Mile State Park. We appreciate the close coordination and support from Denver Water along with the thousands of anglers that participated in the emergency public salvage effort, a key to ensure some of Antero's fish did not go to waste." 

CPW says the fish were moved to Eleven Mile to keep them in the South Platte River basin. They added that stocking operations at Antero will resume once the reservoir is refilled.