The US Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Great Plains region today begins several days of fluctuating flows below North Platte river’s Gray Reef dam in a bid to clean up conditions for trout reproduction.
USBR workers, acting under the request of the Wyoming Game and Fish department, will today vary flows between 14–56m3/sec. From tomorrow until 12 March, USBR is to up the variations, with flows fluctuating from a minimum of 14m3/sec from 23.00 to 01.00 to a maximum of 113m3/sec between the hours of 03.00 and 08.00.
The flows are intended to flush out deposits of fine sediment, which have built up in the gravel during the year, in time for spring trout spawning. According to USBR, the fluctuations will not impact on hydro power generation, and the water released from Alcova reservoir will be replenished downstream in the Glendo reservoir.
Following the fluctuations, flows are to be returned to a steady 14m3/sec for the rest of March.
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