The Conejos River has long been a lifeline for southern San Luis Valley communities. From its beginnings high in the San Juan Mountains to its meeting with the Rio Grande, the river supports farms, ranches, wildlife, and some of Colorado's most scenic trout fishing.

But the summer of 2026 brought another reminder of just how vulnerable that lifeline can be.

Low streamflows and rising water temperatures threatened trout populations, prompting Colorado Parks and Wildlife to ask anglers to stay off a section of the river during the hottest hours of the day.

By late September, conditions had improved enough to lift those restrictions. Behind that improvement was a combination of welcome rainfall, cooler temperatures, and cooperation among water managers working to keep the river flowing.

It is the latest chapter in a larger effort to protect the Conejos River while preserving the agricultural traditions that have shaped the Valley for generations.

A Difficult Summer for the River

On July 2, 2026, Colorado Parks and Wildlife implemented a voluntary afternoon fishing closure on the Conejos River between Platoro Reservoir and Broyles Bridge at County Road D.5.

Anglers were asked to avoid fishing between noon and midnight.

The concern was straightforward: when rivers run low during hot weather, water temperatures can climb to levels that place trout under considerable stress.

Fishing under those conditions can increase the risk of fish mortality, even when fish are released.

The restrictions remained in place throughout much of the summer.

Fortunately, late-season rains and cooler weather brought relief.

On September 30, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that voluntary fishing restrictions across several southwestern Colorado waterways, including the Conejos, had been lifted.

The agency also credited its work with the Conejos Water Conservancy District to secure releases from Platoro Reservoir that benefited fish habitat and river conditions.

Farmers and Fish: Finding Common Ground

One of the most encouraging developments along the Conejos River has been a voluntary partnership designed to benefit both agriculture and aquatic life.

The Farms and Fish Flow Program was launched in 2025 through cooperation among Trout Unlimited, the Conejos Water Conservancy District, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and local irrigators.

Its purpose is to coordinate deliveries of irrigation water stored in Platoro Reservoir during periods when natural river flows become dangerously low.

Rather than requiring farmers to surrender their water rights, the program encourages participating irrigators to time their water deliveries so that the releases also benefit the river.

The water flows downstream through important trout habitat before reaching the farms that need it.

The first year demonstrated what that cooperation could accomplish.

In August 2025, 32 participating farmers helped deliver approximately 2,681 acre-feet of water through the program.

Those coordinated releases maintained an average flow of approximately 43 cubic feet per second during a period when portions of the river might otherwise have gone dry.

The program's organizers began planning for the 2026 irrigation season following that successful first year.

While final participation and delivery figures for the 2026 summer have not yet been publicly confirmed, the continued coordination of reservoir releases demonstrates the importance of cooperation among the Valley's water users.

Protecting the River Beyond the Water Supply

Keeping water in the river is only part of the challenge.

The Conejos River also benefits from efforts to improve the physical condition of its banks, channels, and surrounding habitat.

In July 2026, the National Wild Turkey Federation highlighted a restoration project upstream of Mogote.

The multi-partner effort, supported through the organization's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, has been carried out in phases through 2026.

The project focuses on improving river habitat, water quality, and the resilience of the surrounding watershed.

Healthy streamside vegetation provides shelter and food for wildlife, helps stabilize riverbanks, and contributes to healthier aquatic environments.

Those benefits extend beyond fish.

Wild turkeys, migratory birds, and other animals depend on the vegetation and water found along the river corridor.

The restoration work also complements broader efforts to improve irrigation infrastructure and river health throughout the Rio Grande Basin.

Winter Water Makes a Difference, Too

Another important effort is Trout Unlimited's Winter Flow Program, which began on the Conejos River in 2014.

During colder months, reduced flows can threaten fish habitat and aquatic life.

The program works with water partners to coordinate reservoir releases that maintain water in rivers during critical periods.

According to Trout Unlimited, the program delivered 2,529 acre-feet of water from three reservoirs during the 2025–2026 winter season.

The benefits can extend well beyond the San Luis Valley, with some coordinated releases helping support river conditions downstream into New Mexico.

It is another example of how carefully managed water can serve multiple purposes as it moves through the watershed.

A Shared Resource and a Shared Responsibility

Water has always required cooperation in the San Luis Valley.

Agricultural families depend on irrigation to maintain their livelihoods, while healthy rivers support wildlife, recreation, and the natural environment that makes the region special.

Those needs can become especially difficult to balance during drought.

The Conejos River's experience in 2026 shows that the challenges remain serious. Summer fishing restrictions were necessary, and the river depended on improved weather and coordinated management to recover.

Yet the partnerships taking shape offer reasons for optimism.

Farmers are participating in voluntary water-management programs. Conservation organizations are helping improve habitat. Water districts and state agencies are working together to address difficult conditions.

No single project can eliminate drought or create an unlimited water supply.

But these efforts demonstrate that protecting the river and supporting agriculture do not have to be competing goals.

For the people who live, work, and recreate along the Conejos River, keeping the water flowing is an investment in the Valley's future.