Expect stream closures this summer

[smitty9]

Well, with an already the dry spring with stream flows in the bottom 10th percentile, and no forseeable relief, and based on a recent presentation from someone in the AEP dep't, I would expect stream closures this summer.

And if it's worse than last year, you can expect them sooner and on a more widespread basis.

Just an (almost educated) guess at this point, circumstances can change of course. I say this in light about the other thread in the Fishing section about getting your licks before the algae comes on the lakes.

Well, smaller streams open June 16th. Might be lucky to get a month in before closures. I suppose that counts as a prediction. Hope I am wrong.

Smitty

[Darren N]

I hope you are wrong too. Rain already damn it.

[smitty9]

Picture worth a 1000 words, unfortunately:

[jgib01]

Got high stream advisories for Athabasca area on my smartphone earlier today. I'm not too familiar with the waters north, but seems to me that May 18 is a little early for them to getting peaks up there, no? Hopefully this is from new precipitation and not all runoff.

[RavYak]

Yep with the low waters and what has been high temperatures it won't take long for them to slap closures on this year. Probably end up with stream closures all over the province this year, not just down south like last year.

Hopefully they handle things differently then last year and do things by areas instead of just river by river. It was way to confusing last year with new streams/rivers being added every day.

[smitty9]

I agree Rav, but to add to that, in the world of 2016, I think there is a 2 fold responsibility. One, the government has to expend FAR more time, energy, effort, and money into educating the public. Two, on the other hand, in this day and age of the globally connected sportsmen and women, it's really not hard for anglers to keep themselves updated. Anglers need to accept responsibility for keeping themselves apprised of changes. Ignorance is no excuse.

Its not that hard to get the word out, and its not that hard to keep up with changes. But it does start with government communicating with the users. Up to date websites and apps is a good start.

Smitty