DOTSERO, Colo. (AP) – Wildlife officials say several thousand fish were killed when a monsoonal downpour in July washed silt and debris into the Colorado River below Dotsero and through the Glenwood Canyon.

Now Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials plan to restock the river with several thousand Hofer rainbow trout that are resistant to whirling disease. The disease is caused by a parasite and can cause skull and spinal column deformities in young trout.

Glenwood Springs area wildlife manager Perry Will says the fish kill from the downpour in July was unfortunate, but it’s providing wildlife officials an opportunity to stock the river with fish resistant to whirling disease.

The stocking operations begin Tuesday.

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