Low River Flows Affecting Reservoir Releases

DILLON, Colo. (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says five western Colorado reservoirs won't be releasing water to help endangered fish this spring due to dry conditions.

Under a voluntary program, when mountain snowpack is above average, the operators of Dillon, Green Mountain, Williams Fork, Wolford and Ruedi reservoirs release water to enhance spring peak Colorado River flows for the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker. The Fish and Wildlife Service said Friday that this year, river flows won't be high enough to trigger the releases.

Extremely dry conditions in 2012 and below-average conditions in early 2013 have resulted in low reservoir storage and below-average spring runoff from melting mountain snow.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows much of Colorado experiencing some level of drought.

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