Southern AB stream closures for High Temperature

[monger]

I have heard the government may be putting a high temp closure on all streams in Southern Alberta from 2pm to Midnight.
Perhaps they will start on Thursday Aug 18.

Check here for updates:

https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/advisories-corrections-closures/default.aspx

[toolman]

https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2022/06/some-perspective-trout-fishing-during-low-water-and-high-temperatures

[toolman]

Flows at Calgary today, 97 cms. Then add all of the tributaries flowing into the Bow from the Elbow river, Nose Creek, Fish Creek, Highwood river (and its many tributaries). When we get to Carseland Reservoir, all of the combined Bow flows and tributaries have been reduce to 55 cms. Almost 50% of all the water has been diverted. AEP decides that this will be the place they will monitor water temperatures for all of the ES1 Zone, the stagnant water of the lake section of the Carsland Dam. They enact Hoot Owl restrictions claiming it's in the best interest of the fish. Yet, only 1 km away from where they are doing the water temperature monitoring, downstream at the Hwy 24 bridge, there are no angling restrictions. And, high alpine streams 150-200 km away are under angling restrictions, despite the fact that AEP has no water temperature data. This is absolutely absurd! But it gets worse... A little further downstream, at Bassano Dam, the river flows below the Eastern Irrigation District's, Master diversion Canal, are now at a trickle, 21.85 cms. About 85% of the flows of the entire Bow river Basin below Calgary has been diverted at this point. And again, still no Hoot Owl restrictions or water temperature data released to the public.....These Angling restrictions are nothing more than a targeted, political, Public Relations campaign directed at Joe Public, with no Conservation benefits. There should be water use restrictions, not angling restrictions. Speak up folks, the fish deserve better and are counting on you. Thanks!

 

 

[monger]

But Toolman, all the trout below Carsland have never counted.  They were called "steers" by the Bios ....just excess production and not worth worrying about. That way you don't have to fix the screen, and subsequent loss of trout down the irrigation ditch to McGregor.

Anyone taking temperatures in the Fish Creek area?

[toolman]

Fish Creek, the past week, 64F-65F, mid-late afternoons, at about, .5-1m depth, along the edges of the flats. Trout were pulling hard with no symptoms of thermal stress.... 0.

[BowLurker]

Hmmm...not sure how accurate the Alberta Environment & Parks data is...yes it has the Bow River at 97 Cubic Metres/Second in Calgary, and 99 CM/S in Cochrane, but I don't think the Bow is 16m deep in Cochrane. These flows/levels were updated through the wee hours of Aug. 17th. 

Also, the level/depth of Bearspaw Reservoir is rated at just over 1000 metres...!? I know it's a deep reservoir, but it certainly isn't 1km deep...is it?! 

https://data.calgary.ca/Environment/River-Levels-and-Flows/5fdg-ifgr

I took a walk up and downstream in the Votier's Flats section of Fish Creek this past weekend, and I would say it's 30cm deep or less. No fish, just minnows. Water temperature was 64F at 8:45am - 65F at 10am, with minimal flow, so I stopped casting my Sz 22's.

Maybe I'm up too far to find any good spots, but it's starting to look like the same conditions in the upper creek as last summer. 

[Walton]

https://globalnews.ca/news/9067636/alberta-angling-fish-warm-waterways-low-flow/amp/

[trailhead]

I was fishing the upper Elbow today and the water temp was 54 F at noon

[rudedawg]

5 hours ago, toolman said:

And, high alpine streams 150-200 km away are under angling restrictions, despite the fact that AEP has no water temperature data.

As I was wet wading a foothills stream today, I was wondering why hoot owl restrictions would apply to a stream that is flowing around 13C. But on reflection, I can agree with basin-wide restrictions: otherwise, our favourite small waters would get overrun by the Bow crowd looking for unrestricted afternoon/evening fishing opportunities.

[toolman]

So, with that logic they need to close ES2 as well. Maybe AEP forgot to look at a map. Fallentimber, Little Red, Dogpound and many more... they are all a short distance from Calgary. These closures are nothing more than a Public Relations campaign which costs little and gives the appearance to Joe Public that AEP is protecting our fisheries from the boogie man, C&R anglers. Meanwhile, no Whirling disease research on the Bow's spawning tributaries where the majority of our declining population of Rainbow trout come from. Cheaper to have a boogie man... We're it.

In case you haven't read it.... https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2022/06/some-perspective-trout-fishing-during-low-water-and-high-temperatures

 

[intobacking]

19 hours ago, toolman said:

Yet, only 1 km away from where they are doing the water temperature monitoring, downstream at the Hwy 24 bridge, there are no angling restrictions. 

 

 

Restrictions extend all the way to Bassano, so what are you talking about here?

[intobacking]

13 hours ago, toolman said:

So, with that logic they need to close ES2 as well. Maybe AEP forgot to look at a map. Fallentimber, Little Red, Dogpound and many more... they are all a short distance from Calgary. These closures are nothing more than a Public Relations campaign which costs little and gives the appearance to Joe Public that AEP is protecting our fisheries from the boogie man, C&R anglers. Meanwhile, no Whirling disease research on the Bow's spawning tributaries where the majority of our declining population of Rainbow trout come from. Cheaper to have a boogie man... We're it.

In case you haven't read it.... https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2022/06/some-perspective-trout-fishing-during-low-water-and-high-temperatures

 

This article basically says mortality for hooked fish does increase significantly in warm water conditions, but this is mitigated by the fact that fewer fish are hooked during warm water conditions. So, no worries, go ahead and fish because you're probably not going to catch anything (but if you do, bad news for the fish...)? Hardly a strong argument against the restrictions discussed here (which, btw, are now in effect starting 2 PM Saturday). The Global News link posted above by Walton confirms the reasoning for the closure extending to the high country upstream waters (rudedawg nailed it).

No doubt there are other factors and activities at play here with worse impacts than c&r flyfishing. However, being reluctant to accept any restrictions to our part of it is not a good strategy to influence change on more important factors, IMO. I suspect those who are affected the most by the restrictions (shops, guides, shuttles, etc.) have probably figured this out. For the rest of us, not fishing past 2 PM for next couple of weeks is a pretty easy sacrifice!

[toolman]

5 hours ago, intobacking said:

Restrictions extend all the way to Bassano, so what are you talking about here?

The original press release said restrictions were coming to Zone ES1 which ends at the hwy. #24 bridge below Carsland dam. No mention of extending it down to Bassano. And, as for this closure, it's not based on evidence that water temperatures are actually unsafe. Unlike you, I prefer that Fisheries Policy decisions be based on evidence and science. AEP is telling us when to fish, next year they will be telling you how to fish. And finally, it will be 5 year Closures, "No fishing allowed on the following rivers".... That's the direction our fisheries are heading. It's coming. Read on...

https://globalnews.ca/news/4039287/alberta-fishing-ban-stream-closures/

[intobacking]

9 hours ago, toolman said:

Unlike you, I prefer that Fisheries Policy decisions be based on evidence and science. AEP is telling us when to fish, next year they will be telling you how to fish. And finally, it will be 5 year Closures, "No fishing allowed on the following rivers".... That's the direction our fisheries are heading. It's coming. Read on...

https://globalnews.ca/news/4039287/alberta-fishing-ban-stream-closures/

I see you have edited your original response, now including a link to an article from Feb 2018. LOL, nice!

I like science, too. In fact, the science you provided was a study in which warm water temps did indeed increase c&r mortality. So I'm willing to leave the fish alone during the afternoons for the next couple of weeks if it might help them a little. As for this leading directly to worse restrictions, five-year closures, the extinction of c&r flyfishing, etc, etc -- who's inventing the bogeyman now?

[toolman]

These "options" have already been discussed and are being considered by AEP. As mentioned, restrictions on types of tackle for ES1 for next year and they were/are looking at closing several streams, as mentioned in the global news link.