The fishery below Willwood Dam is recovering from the load of sediment released in 2016 as two groups continue to work on ways to improve dam operations and reduce the sediment coming from upstream.

Carmen McIntyre leads one of the workgroups formed by Gov. Matt Mead after a large release of sediment built up and was then released at the dam. She spoke to Park County commissioners at a meeting earlier this year about all the progress that has been made since then.

McIntyre said the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently found 700 pounds of trout per mile on the stretch below the dam, which marked the first time the department had met its fisheries objective since 2009.

The sediment release in October 2016 occurred while crews were repairing the dam and the spill led to dead fish and muddied water.

Working Group 1 was formed to clean up the initial mess of sludge and has long since finished its tasks, but the second and third groups are continuing to work to improve the function of the dam as well as to determine the causes of the sediment buildup and to improve the areas around the river above the dam.

An improvement in the fishery has been one good outcome.

“We’ve definitely seen some improvements since that release in 2016,” McIntyre said, attributing the improvement in large part to the improvement in how the dam operates.

“More gradual fall drawdowns, higher winter pool levels, controlled sediment release,” she said. “The Willwood pool level is not rising and dropping dramatically. They’ve really put a lot of effort into that.”

Her working group, No. 3, is working to improve the watershed, which has even involved building dams as beavers would do to improve wetlands.

The group has also helped to reclaim a mine in Diamond Basin and improved vegetative cover to minimize the amount of sediment going into the water upriver.

“It’s come a long ways from 2016 when all hell broke loose,” Commissioner Lee Livingston noted.

“I think it’s come a long way,” McIntyre agreed. “I’m really impressed with the level of commitment with everybody at the table to see it through.”

For more information, visit www.wyowillwood.org.