Grey Reef Flush and Flows 2016-

Wyoming Game & Fish Sent Wyoming Anglers this email.

North Platte River flushing flow to run for 10 days

CASPER – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department cautions sportsmen to be aware of sizeable increases in water flows in the North Platte River for 10 days beginning March 7 as part of a flushing flow project.

Game and Fish has requested the Grey Reef flushing flow in order to maintain fish spawning habitats and to increase production of invertebrates that fish depend on for food. The Bureau of Reclamation will begin releasing additional water from Gray Reef Reservoir in the early morning hours beginning Monday, March 7. Flows will increase from approximately 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 4,000 cfs and will then gradually decrease back to 500 cfs each day, with the maximum flow occurring between 3-7 a.m. Flows from Gray Reef Dam will return to 500 cfs at 10 AM each day. The schedule will be repeated through March 16. The flows below Gray Reef Dam will then be stabilized at approximately 500 cfs following completion of the ten day cycle. This schedule may be modified due to river ice or technical difficulties.

In recent years, flows were increased for 5 days each spring and occasionally repeated for another 5 days in the fall. However, the fall flush has been problematic in that it dislodges aquatic vegetation and moves it downstream, causing loss of vegetative cover and invertebrates in upstream reaches of the river. A 10-day Grey Reef flush in the spring may be better able to maintain high quality spawning habitat for trout while preserving important overwinter habitat and forage for juvenile trout.

“Data show these flows are important to trout spawning and to the numbers of trout in the river,” said Matt Hahn, fisheries biologist for the Casper region. In the past, the trout population has fallen to less than 400 trout per mile, even with stocking. Since annual flushing flows began in 1995, the trout population averages over 3,500 per mile and annual stocking has been eliminated upstream of Casper.

The Game and Fish Department advises sportsmen and recreationists to be aware of the potential dangers related to flushing flows. Because the flush will span the weekend, there is potential for more people to be wading or floating the river. Those using the river during the flushing flow should consider the fluctuating water levels and be aware that areas that can be waded effectively at 500 cfs may not be safe at 4,000 cfs.

Flushing flows are normally scheduled for completion in March to maximize benefits for spawning rainbow trout.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department manages and conserves more than 800 species of fish and wildlife across Wyoming. For nearly 120 years, we’ve carried out our mission to conserve wildlife and serve people. Through these efforts, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department ensures the public continues to enjoy Wyoming’s vast fish and wildlife resource through hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife watching and other forms of outdoor recreation. Hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers contribute over a billion dollars to Wyoming’s economy each year.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Casper Regional Office
3030 Energy Lane
Casper, WY 82604

Janet Milek
Public Information Specialist
(307) 233-6404
[email protected]