Black Lakes near Vail Pass stocked with trout for the second time this year
The lakes were stocked with more than 2,000 rainbow trout
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District/Courtesy Photo
On July 21, the two Black Lakes located next to Interstate 70 near the Vail Pass exit were stocked with more than 2,000 9- to 14-inch long rainbow trout. The Eagle River Water & Sanitation District stocks the lakes twice per year with catchable rainbow trout. This was the second stocking for 2022, with 2,500 pounds of fish going into the lakes on June 14 and another 2,500 pounds going into the lakes on July 21.
The trout are raised by a Boulder-based fishery that is licensed and health-inspected by the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which annually tests the fishery’s trout to ensure each lot is healthy and free of disease.
The district stocks the lakes annually under the terms of a 1986 agreement with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The two cold-water reservoirs are operated as part of the water supply system developed by the district, which is responsible for the public water system serving the town of Vail and by contract, communities from EagleVail through Cordillera.
At various times of the year, the district releases water from the two lakes into Black Gore Creek, which flows into Gore Creek and runs through the town of Vail. The released water augments Gore Creek streamflows and can be used per district water rights.
Both lakes are visible from Interstate 70, sitting to the west of Vail Pass at an elevation of 10,500 feet, and are easily accessed. Black Lake No. 1 covers 27.7 acres and has a capacity of 527 acre-feet of water, nearly 172 million gallons, while Black Lake No. 2 covers 9.6 acres and has a capacity of 98 acre-feet of water or about 32 million gallons. The lakes are stocked proportionally, with about two-thirds of the 2,500 pounds of rainbow trout going into the larger Black Lake No. 1 and the remaining fish stocking Black Lake No. 2.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife partners with the district to operate Black Lake No. 2 in support of fishing, wildlife habitat and recreation.
Due to current warm water temperatures across Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is encouraging anglers to seek out high-elevation lakes and streams like the Black Lakes where water temperatures are more suitable, and fishing doesn’t add additional stress to vulnerable fish. Elevated water temperatures can lead to low oxygen levels in rivers and reservoirs, and when temperatures exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit, fish become more susceptible to disease and may even stop feeding. Make sure to check conditions related to mandatory and voluntary fishing closures on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at CPW.state.co.us.
For information about local district operations, go to Erwsd.org or call 970-477-5451.
