TULSA – Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Southwestern Power Administration met Monday to address the challenge of sustaining the trout fishery in the Illinois River below Tenkiller Dam during the continuing exceptional drought. The trout fishery depends on releases of water from the reservoir. All storage in the reservoir is contracted for hydropower and water supply, with no storage dedicated, or contracted, for the trout fishery.

Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Southwestern Power Administration met Monday to address the challenge of sustaining the trout fishery in the Illinois River below Tenkiller Dam during the continuing exceptional drought. The trout fishery depends on releases of water from the reservoir. All storage in the reservoir is contracted for hydropower and water supply, with no storage dedicated, or contracted, for the trout fishery.

Water releases for the fishery have been made possible by donations of surplus water for years by Sequoyah Fuels, and more recently by Sequoyah County Water Association and the Tenkiller Utilities Authority. However, this donated storage will be exhausted in about ten days, based on current flows.

The agencies have agreed to operational changes in an attempt to extend the survival period of the trout, and hope for much needed rains and cooler weather.

When hydropower generation is required to meet peak power demands, SWPA will put priority on generation from Tenkiller over other hydropower projects in the Arkansas River basin, which will benefit the trout. SWPA will also try generating from two turbine units at half load, instead of one unit at full load, in an attempt to improve dissolved oxygen levels downstream.

ODWC officials say trout stocking will continue as long as water quality allows.

A multi agency effort is being made and options are being vigorously explored to extend the use of the remaining water. All agencies are working to keep this valuable resource by finding a long term solution to the problem.