St. Vrain State Park reported a significant environmental issue this week. Park officials confirmed an estimated 30,000 fish died in the park’s Sandpiper pond. This loss is now considered a total fatality for the pond’s population.
Park rangers handled the removal of approximately 25 percent of the dead fish, while natural scavenging accounted for the remainder. This incident follows a similar occurrence at Boyd Lake, where thousands of fish were also found dead recently.
In response to this situation, park management decided to stop stocking the north side ponds this fall. Instead, the fish intended for these areas will be moved to healthier, full bodies of water such as Coot, Pintail, and Blue Heron. Operations are underway to service the aerators in Pelican Pond to support its recovery. Crews are also identifying solutions for the Mallard, Redtail, and Sandpiper ponds to restore their aquatic health.