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Hearing set on Fryingpan flush

Aspen Times Staff
Aspen, CO Colorado

GLENWOOD SPRINGS ” The Colorado Division of Wildlife will hold a public hearing Thursday in Glenwood Springs to outline its plan to flush the Fryingpan River next month.

The meeting will be from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Community Center at 100 Wulfsohn Road.

The wildlife division has asked the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to boost water releases from Ruedi Reservoir to help flush thick red sediment from the lower Fryingpan River. Seven Castles Creek pumped sediment into the river during a flood Aug. 6.



The red mud hasn’t completely cleared from the river and it is also affecting the middle Roaring Fork River. Wildlife division officials said earlier this month that there is no emergency, but they want to try to flush the river as soon as possible so fish habitat doesn’t deteriorate.

The Bureau of Reclamation said it has extra water in Ruedi to send downstream. The wildlife division wants flows gradually increased from the current 300 cubic feet per second to 800 cfs the week of Sept. 10. The flow will be at the highest level only for a day or so before it is gradually reduced, so disruptions of fishing should be brief.




The hope is the flush removes the sediment so it doesn’t slowly leach out throughout the winter.

Wildlife division spokesman Randy Hampton said public meeting is being held to provide details to interested people and give them an opportunity to comment.