If one can find a silver lining in such a serious loss of trout, it is that the Lake John sucker population also may suffer. DOW removed all fish from the lake several years ago to eliminate rough fish that compete with trout, but suckers had recovered significantly. When the ice melts, Kehmeier will set nets to assess trout populations at all the impacted lakes before mapping a complete recovery plan. Jump-start the fishery with from 60,000 to 100,000 catchable rainbows, depending upon availability. These will be complemented with the normal plant of 200,000 subcatchable rainbows and Snake River cutthroats.
Stocking depends upon an assessment at iceout.
But success in maintaining high water levels ultimately depends upon the runoff and continuing rainfall. Last summer's drought caused irrigators who own the water to make heavy releases to maintain hay fields. Continuing low flows in the North Platte River system prevented refilling in the fall. Officials fear another poor snowmelt season, with lagging summer rains, could lead to widespread problems similar to the drawdowns that killed fish in the South Platte River basin during August and September last year. Most Colorado reservoirs, mountain and plain, are snowmelt dependent.