Voluntary afternoon fishing closures issued for parts of Rio Grande

CREEDE, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has issued voluntary fishing closures for the afternoon on two parts of the river in the Rio Grande National Forest.

According to officials, the closures are happening due to a mixture of low flows and high water temperatures, causing stress for the fish.

The closure area includes the Rio Grande River from Rio Grande Reservoir Dam to the Rio Grande Canal at the end of the Gold Medal section of the river. The other closure is on the south fork of the river, from Big Meadows Reservoir Dam to where it meets the main stem of the Rio Grande.

The closures started Wednesday, July 15 and will run every day from noon to midnight until further notice, according to CPW.

Officials say during warmer summer months, rivers with lower flows can see wide daily water temperature fluctuations. By using a half-day closure, people can still fish without stressing fish out in the afternoon, according to CPW.

As of right now, the closures are voluntary, but CPW says it can enact mandatory closures if certain conditions, like the water temperatures exceeding 71 degrees or fish condition deteriorates. Officials say they recommend fishing earlier in the day and use a handheld thermometer to test water conditions.

More information on other fishing closures in Colorado can be found on CPW's website.

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