With Nee Noshe Reservoir rapidly shrinking in the Kiowa County heat, Colorado wildlife officials are telling anglers to grab their gear while they still can. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has authorized an emergency public fish salvage at the shallow lake, starting Monday, June 1, temporarily lifting the usual size, bag, and possession limits so people can harvest fish before the fishery blinks out.
Water levels are now so low that biologists say the reservoir is unlikely to refill any time soon. In a press release, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the salvage was triggered by ongoing drought and reduced reservoir operations and is meant to “optimize use of the fishery resource” while there is still enough water to launch a boat. CPW aquatic biologist Jim Ramsay put it plainly, saying the move “allows anglers to utilize the resource while conditions still allow.” Nee Noshe sits inside the Queens State Wildlife Area on the Eastern Plains.
What anglers need to know
The emergency salvage is not a free-for-all in the legal sense. A valid Colorado fishing license is still required, and the rule changes apply only at Nee Noshe while the salvage is in effect, according to CBS Colorado. Anglers must stick to methods that are already legal at the reservoir. CPW says signs will go up at access points to spell out when the salvage is open and when it shuts down.
For now, this may be the last real shot at catching the reservoir’s usual lineup of sport fish. The lake has historically produced walleye, saugeye, wiper, channel catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass, according to the Kiowa County Press.
Why this matters
Nee Noshe’s emergency salvage is part of a pattern that Eastern Plains anglers are getting tired of seeing. Persistent drought and heavy irrigation demand keep small reservoirs on the edge, and when water is pulled down too far, fisheries can crash in a hurry. Reporting by The Colorado Sun has chronicled previous dry spells in the broader Queens reservoir system and the recreational and economic hit that follows when a fishery is lost.
CPW has increasingly leaned on emergency salvages across Colorado in similar situations, whether lakes are drained for dam repairs or shrunk by drought to the point where widespread fish kills are all but guaranteed. Nee Noshe now finds itself on that list.
Safety and invasive-species reminders
The agency has not set a firm end date for the salvage. CPW says it will call it off once conditions change and is urging anglers to pay attention to posted notices at the reservoir, according to the Denver Gazette.
Officials are also reminding anyone hitting the water that low levels do not mean low risk for invasive species. As part of its “Be a pain in the ANS” campaign, CPW is pushing boaters and shore anglers to clean, drain, and dry all gear to keep aquatic nuisance species from hitching a ride to the next lake. Guidance and decontamination details for boats and equipment are available from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
For locals and visiting anglers, the salvage is likely a short window and could be a farewell tour for Nee Noshe as a fishery. The reservoir, about 21 miles north of Lamar, is a key piece of the Queens State Wildlife Area. Local media are carrying CPW’s alerts and plan to post updates as the situation evolves, and anglers are being urged to track agency news and reservoir signage for the latest word, as reported by Kiowa County Press.
