Rivers in the Roaring Fork Watershed are flowing far below average at 5-27% of normal for this time of year. The Crystal River at the fish hatchery is currently flowing 26 cfs which is 5% of normal (average for this date is 481 cfs)! Hot and dry weather, coupled with historically low stream flows, sent stream temperatures soaring this week. Water temperatures reached 73F on the Roaring Fork River in Glenwood Springs and Crystal River near Colorado Rocky Mountain School, and exceeded 73F in many other locations throughout the watershed. Colorado Parks & Wildlife issued several voluntary fishing closures effective July 17: a full-day closure on the Crystal River from Highway 133 mile marker 64 to the Roaring Fork River confluence, the Colorado River from Red Dirt Creek downstream to the Highway 13 bridge in Rifle, and a 12PM-12AM closure on the Roaring Fork River from Carbondale to the Colorado River confluence. Releases from Ruedi Reservoir will increase by 63 cfs on Friday, which will bring flows on the lower Fryingpan River to 206 cfs.