If you have any plans to be on the river in the near future, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department cautions you 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 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 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. Flushing flows are normally scheduled for completion in March to maximize benefits for spawning rainbow trout.
The Game and Fish Department advises everyone 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.

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