To would-be fishermen of Matt Warner and Calder Reservoirs, find another waterbody to enjoy. Both reservoirs have suffered a complete fish kill. The Division of Wildlife of Resources gives the following explanation of what happened: When reservoirs’ ice over and snow accumulates on top of the ice throughout the winter months, it blocks light from entering the reservoir. As a result, vegetation that grew during the summer and fall begins to die. When that vegetation dies under the ice, it sinks to the bottom and is broken down by fungus, bacteria and other organisms. These organisms consume a great deal of oxygen during the decomposition process, and with the ice cover resulting in no oxygen exchanges with the atmosphere, the oxygen in the water is quickly depleted, resulting in fish dying. Matt Warner Reservoir had been recently stocked with rainbow trout fingerlings. While the reservoir has had some partial winter and summer fish kill, there has never been a complete kill like now. Calder Reservoir also suffered a complete fish kill. Water levels at the reservoir were extremely low at the beginning of winter, due to drought conditions, and are currently dropping already this spring. DWR biologists are working on a new management strategy for the Diamond Mountain lakes to try to prevent winter fish kills in the future. These proposed changes will be open for public comment once a draft plan is available.
