Santa Fe’s Children’s Fishing Derby postponed

Lack of water behind decision

Blame it on the weather.

Santa Fe city officials say this year’s annual Children’s Fishing Derby will be postponed because the dry winter left snowpack levels way below normal.

Melissa McDonald, the city’s river and watershed coordinator, broke the news to the city’s Public Utilities Committee on Wednesday. She told them recent data indicate the amount of water expected to flow in the Santa Fe River this spring won’t meet projections.

“So what we’re really looking at is a year where our target flows will be greatly reduced. We’re going to need to postpone the fishing derby,” she said, adding that the situation could be re-evaluated later this year.

Some committee members said they and a lot of other people would be disappointed if the fishing derby had to be canceled altogether.

“I know I’m disappointed

because my kids love that event,” McDonald said in response.

The always popular event, usually held the first Saturday of June, allows anglers age 11 and younger to fish the river for several hours without a fishing license. Older people with permits can join in the fun in the afternoon.

Committee members talked about what could be done to save the Children’s Fishing Derby.

City Councilor Peter Ives floated the idea of moving the event upstream where there’s more water in the river. That may not be a viable idea because the Santa Fe watershed is a closed municipal watershed. Pursuant to an order from the Secretary of Agriculture issued in 1932, and a Special Prohibition order by the Santa Fe National Forest supervisor in 1991, that portion of the watershed is off limits to the public.

Last year, the fishing derby was postponed for two weeks because of too much water. A rainstorm the afternoon before the event flushed the 500 rainbow trout stocked in the river earlier in the day downstream.

McDonald said it’s still possible this year’s fishing derby could be held some time later this year, but that would depend on the weather and having a good monsoon season this summer.

EDDIE MOORE/JOURNAL Santa Fe’s annual Children’s Fishing Derby, usually held in June on the Santa Fe River downtown, is being postponed this year because of a lack of river water after a dry winter. Last year, then-City Councilor Ron Trujillo dumped a load of rainbow...

EDDIE MOORE/JOURNAL In 2013, Page Hernandez, 12, left, and cousin Anthony Cordova, 10, were among the participants in Santa Fe’s annual Children’s Fishing Derby, which has been put on hold this year due to a water shortage.