Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has declared a public fish salvage at Adobe Creek Reservoir and Thurston Reservoir near Lamar [1], [2].
The move comes because the recreational lease agreements for these bodies of water are not being renewed. This means the public will lose all access to these fishing locations once the salvage period concludes [3], [4].
The salvage period began on June 12 and will run through July 15, 2026 [1], [3]. The effort involves two reservoirs — Adobe Creek Reservoir, which is locally known as Blue Lake, and Thurston Reservoir [1], [2], [4].
CPW initiated the process after the Fort Lyon Canal Company notified the agency that the leases would not be renewed [3], [4]. Because the land will no longer be open for public recreation, the agency is seeking help from the public to remove fish from the waters before the closure [3].
Public access to both sites will officially end after July 15, 2026 [3], [4]. This window provides a final opportunity for anglers to visit the reservoirs before they are closed to the public indefinitely.
“Public access to the reservoirs ends after July 15, 2026”
The loss of these reservoirs highlights the precarious nature of public recreational access on privately leased land. When lease agreements between state agencies and private entities like the Fort Lyon Canal Company expire, the state loses its ability to manage the wildlife and provide public utility, necessitating emergency measures like fish salvages to prevent total biomass loss.
