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By Miriam Raftery
May 27, 2023 (Alpine) – Sweetwater Water Authority has posted a notice on its website announcing that the recreation program at Loveland Reservoir in Alpine will reopen on May 30. Available activities are expected to include hiking and birdwatching, but not yet fishing, since the district has not committed on a date to restock the lake with fish.
In November and December, the district drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status for the first time ever, killing off the fish to save ratepayers money and avoid buying water during the drought. The action drew outrage from local residents and fishing advocates.
Then heavy rains in December and January destroyed a floating fishing dock, which the district plans to restore with insurance funds. The rains also caused severe erosion of trails which the district deemed dangerous, so it closed public access to the lake in January.
But more heavy rains have covered the damaged areas, making it safe for the public to access for now, a crowd of rural residents told Sweetwater officials at a meeting earlier this month. The district has voted to allocate $50 million to study long-term solutions such as building a bridge, for whenever the waterline recedes in the future.
Russell Walsh, a fishing enthusiast who has led efforts to reopen Loveland, voiced gratitude to State Senator Brian Jones, who sent a letter urging the district to restore fishing and offering to facilitate meetings with Sweetwater, state and federal officials.
Walsh told ECM that he is hoping to see the district restore fishing as well as 24-hour shoreline access as agreed to in a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service, and said Jones has arranged to meet with both Sweetwater and Loveland.
He also thanked East County Magazine for "authentic coverage" of the Loveland issues, as the media outlet that has provided the most in-depth coverage for many months.
Friends of Loveland Reservoir hailed the reopening as “good news” and pledged to continue pressing for the fishing program to be restored next.
“We would like to thank Russell Walsh for his commitment, advocacy, and most of all persistence! “ the group stated on Facebook, also thanking the many members of the public who spoke out. “The reopening would not have happened without his support and all of you who attended meetings, spoke up, wrote letters, emails, and dedicated time to this worthy cause. Remember this is not the time to lay back, more work still needs to be done,” Friends of Loveland concluded.
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