Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will lift full-day voluntary fishing closures on parts of the Yampa River and the Elk River near Steamboat Springs beginning Friday, October 30. Recent weather and cooler overnight temperatures have improved river conditions.

The Yampa River closure ran from the Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area to the western edge of Steamboat Springs' city limits. The Elk River closure is also being lifted.

River conditions began improving in early October. However, CPW chose to keep the closures in place to protect mountain whitefish during their critical spawning season.

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"We greatly appreciate the support and patience from our community and visitors during the voluntary closures on the Yampa and Elk rivers," said Kris Middledorf, Area Wildlife Manager. "Managing a healthy river system is the result of numerous stakeholders, and CPW appreciates the continued coordination and collaboration with the City of Steamboat Springs and anglers."

"We appreciate everyone's cooperation," said Julie Baxter, City of Steamboat Springs Water Resource Manager. "We are fortunate to have native Mountain Whitefish in our local river systems, and we are grateful for everyone's help to protect these fish especially while they spawn."

The closures began in July. They were meant to protect fish and reduce deaths caused by warm water and historically low flows.

On Sunday, July 19, local CPW staff found more than 300 dead mountain whitefish along the lower stretch of the Elk River. More dead fish were seen farther downstream. The die-off was blamed on severe drought. During the first investigation, water temperatures reached 82 degrees Fahrenheit after several days in a row above 80 degrees.

"This was one of the driest and hottest summers in recent history, with extremely low flows and high temperatures for an extended period, beyond what we are normally used to on the Yampa and Elk rivers," said Ben Felt, Northwest Region Senior Aquatic Biologist. "This led us to keep these sections closed for an extended period to give the mountain whitefish the opportunity to recover."

CPW aquatic biologists will keep watching both rivers. Early checks found whitefish in spawning grounds at 10 percent to 20 percent of the historical average.

This voluntary fishing closure is separate from the City of Steamboat Springs Yampa River Recreational Closure. Details on the city closure are at https://www.steamboatsprings.net/m/newsflash/home/detail/3356.

CPW reminds anglers that a mandatory seasonal closure stays in place where Fish Creek meets the Yampa River through November 15. It protects spawning mountain whitefish. The closure covers the pool where the two streams meet. It also covers Fish Creek upstream to the Safeway bridge, about 0.3 miles. On the Yampa River, it covers 100 feet upstream and 200 feet downstream from where the streams meet.

Other restrictions also remain in effect along the Yampa River. A voluntary fishing closure runs from the top of Sarvis Creek State Wildlife Area, about 1.7 miles downstream of Stagecoach Reservoir, through the Bureau of Land Management stretch, about 3.3 miles downstream of the reservoir. A mandatory fishing closure covers the 0.6-mile stretch of the Yampa River from Stagecoach State Park Dam downstream to the lowest park boundary. CPW expects these remaining closures to stay in place until the spring of 2027.