The Wyoming Game & Fish Department has been watching the Red Creek where unusually high runoff for this time of year has resulted in the creek to carry red clay into the Greys River and causing it to run heavy with sediment.

“Red Creek is about mile 42 up the Greys River,” said Dave Fogle, Fish Biologist.  “I suspect that we had some seismic activity and it normally is dry and doesn’t run water unless it is rain or snow melt.    It’s possible that things have shifted and there is a large amount of snow melt coming off.  Right now it is coming out about two-thirds of the way up the gulch and it is shooting out of the mountain.”

Reports have come into the WG&F since Sunday about the occurrence.

Fogle said that while these type of things aren’t extremely unusual, this particular event has likely claimed many fish eggs this season.

“It is probably going to have an impact on the fish eggs that are in the river,” Fogle added.  “The fish that have spawned in the Red River; those eggs are probably lost.  The adult fish will swim out of the red clay which is coming out.  They go up into the tributaries to escape the plume.”

Fogle stated the Little Greys River is running clear and that fish reproduction in the tributaries should be unaffected.  He stated that while the fishing industry may have a short-term blip in their production this year, it should not have any long-term effects.

“Hopefully the water will run off soon.  It’s so high on the Wyoming Range and I think it’s just the snow melting off and one that runs off it should decrease.  There is really nothing we can do about it; it just has to run its course.”