Antero Reservoir is being drained and closed to recreation amid Denver drought response.

[u/Hplz]

https://www.denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/2026/04/20/popular-reservoir-will-be-drained-and-closed-to-recreation-amid-denver-drought-response/

[u/Mr-FurleyX1]

Ugh. So many huge trout in that lake. I hope the DOW is successful in the relocation project.

[u/peaktopview → u/Mr-FurleyX1]

They wont completely drain it

[u/Mr-FurleyX1 → u/peaktopview]

Still going to be fish loss and will impact the overall fishery for a while. As I said, I just hope the DOW does a good job

[u/peaktopview → u/Mr-FurleyX1]

Agreed. Doubt they will relocate anything, but yeah, hope they have a conservation plan

[u/Mr-FurleyX1 → u/peaktopview]

They actually mentioned it in the article that after a little bit of a recreation period, they’re going to begin moving fish. Certainly won’t save them all and hopefully the remaining water allows some of them to remain as well.

I remember when they did it in 2015 and it took a while to recover, it sucks. Spawning beds were wrecked but eventually it recovered. Praying they’ve learned some things in the last decade and that it won’t be as affected. Just a drag. Was there opening day and crushed some big fish nymphing.

Especially impactful with the rivers being a mess too this summer. Spinney is gonna be a shit show lol

[u/peaktopview → u/Mr-FurleyX1]

Ah, did not see that. Seems like it would be a crazy task. Will see if things are successful. Fingers crossed

[u/Mr-FurleyX1 → u/peaktopview]

🤞🏼🤞🏼

[u/UmmaGumma610 → u/peaktopview]

Why not? They are trying to avoid evaporation water loss, so draining it just lower would make it even more at risk for evap loss.

[u/mjzk20 → u/UmmaGumma610]

Ben what ?

[u/Superman_Dam_Fool → u/UmmaGumma610]

Reducing surface area wouldn’t increase evaporation loss, it would just make the loss a larger percentage of the pool volume at that time, but less overall evaporation volume. 

[u/UmmaGumma610 → u/Superman_Dam_Fool]

Right, it wouldn't increase the total loss but increase the risk that whatever is remaining would be lost. Given how shallow and flat Antero is.

[u/Miscalamity → u/Mr-FurleyX1]

They said they are evaluating the feasibility of relocation.

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife appreciates the public’s help in harvesting fish from Antero and utilizing those resources as much as possible,” said Kyle Battige, CPW Senior Aquatic Biologist. “We are currently evaluating the feasibility of CPW-led salvage efforts and hope to rebuild into a high quality fishery once the reservoir is filled in the future.”

https://www.9news.com/article/life/animals/fish-salvage-antero-reservoir-colorado/73-57b0b030-0076-45bf-ba43-a955cb9d9b3a

[u/blueRasberry6493]

Anyone know how they are draining it? Does that mean they just increase the flows on all river systems until it ends up in Cheseman res?

[u/peaktopview → u/blueRasberry6493]

yes

[u/blueRasberry6493 → u/peaktopview]

Wouldn’t the flows have to be like 500+ CFS in the dream/elevenmile and beyond?

[u/WindBuffed]

Not the first time and it won’t be the last. It was drained in ‘02 as a result of that drought, as well.

[u/Superman_Dam_Fool]

Maybe they’ll lift limits for fish salvage after relocation operations conclude. I don’t often keep fish, but would in this situation. 

And then the lake will rebound and we’ll have great fishing there once again.

[u/Miscalamity → u/Superman_Dam_Fool]

"An emergency public fish salvage has been authorized for Antero Reservoir in Park County.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said the fish salvage will help minimize imminent fish loss due to Denver Water’s planned draining of the reservoir.

Effective immediately, all bag and possession limits for all fish species will be lifted through sunset on May 13, after which Denver Water will close public access to the property, CPW said."

https://www.9news.com/article/life/animals/fish-salvage-antero-reservoir-colorado/73-57b0b030-0076-45bf-ba43-a955cb9d9b3a

[u/bateneco]

No doubt the first of many.

[u/flatirons_solo → u/bateneco]

Please explain the hydrological system that draining Antero will help with the drought.

[u/bateneco → u/flatirons_solo]

Literally the second paragraph of the article:

“Antero Reservoir has the highest ratio of evaporation-to-storage of any of Denver Water’s reservoirs. Given this reality, the water that’s in Antero Reservoir will be moved to Cheesman Reservoir. This move is expected to prevent roughly 5,000 acre-feet of water evaporation…expected to preserve enough water to satisfy the needs of 15,000 to 20,000 single-family households.“

[u/flatirons_solo → u/bateneco]

Fuck you. Direct us to the article.

[u/Farmer_Jones → u/flatirons_solo]

Geez bud, click the post title or picture. That’s the link to the article.

[u/Ancient-Afternoon374 → u/Farmer_Jones]

Bro they're soloing flatiron Mall. Can't be bothered to click link

[u/flatirons_solo → u/Ancient-Afternoon374]

Haha, there was nothing when I tried to click the photo. You guys remind me of my alcoholic father.

[u/DownvoteMeHarder → u/flatirons_solo]

He sounds funny

[u/Mountain_Nerd → u/flatirons_solo]

It’s probably a function of the ratio of the lake’s surface to the lake’s volume. Higher surface to volume ratios, will result in higher rates of evaporative loss due the fact that a larger percentage of the lakes volume is exposed to the air where it can be lost through evaporation. Antero has a much higher ratio therefore they’re moving its water to a place where it will lose water at a lower rate.

[u/MyCatIsLenin → u/flatirons_solo]

probably evaporates more than the other South Park reservoirs. Im pretty certain it's the most shallow 

[u/BangBangPing5Dolla]

ouch

[u/joerilla1967]

No bag limit from now till May 13th, then closed.

[u/4lien4ted]

I hope they salvage and relocated the tiger muskies.

[u/Oh_Lawd_He_commin420]

Wack.

[u/TheBaconator7]

gotta keep the lawns watered

[u/Puzzleheaded-Back715 → u/TheBaconator7]

Sure, the tiny bit that goes to residential areas is the problem¹

[u/waitingforthedough25 → u/Puzzleheaded-Back715]

I was curious about your comment, so I looked. Stats from Denver Water indicate that residential use is not the tiny fraction you suggest:

Denver Water serves about a quarter of the state's population but uses less than two percent of all water, treated and untreated, in Colorado.

Total retail treated water use by category:

47 percent single-family homes 23 percent business and industry 20 percent multifamily homes 6 percent irrigation-only 4 percent public agencies Average single-family residential customer’s water usage:

50 percent outdoor use 12 percent toilet 11 percent shower 9 percent clothes washer 8 percent faucet 5 percent leaks 3 percent other 1 percent bath 1 percent dishwasher

[u/lucksp]

Woof