Due to severe drought conditions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has closed the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge to all waterfowl and small game hunting during the 2002-03 hunting season, Sept. 28 - Oct 30, Nov. 2 - Feb 16. Drought conditions have severely impacted wetlands on the refuge and throughout the entire San Luis Valley, which traditionally offers some of the best early season waterfowl hunting in Colorado.
The Rio Grande is the primary source of water for maintaining refuge wetlands; flows have been far lower than ever recorded in the river in Colorado. "Of approximately 8,000 acres of wetlands that occur on the refuge, less than 450 acres have some amount of water this year,"said Deputy Refuge Manager Ron Garcia. With only five percent of refuge wetlands available to waterfowl and other migratory birds, a closed hunting area will provide crucial habitat during the fall migration.
Jeff Madison, Area Manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife in the San Luis Valley, said he fully understands and supports the decision to close the Alamosa Refuge to hunting this year. "Were expecting a depressed waterfowl hunting season throughout the entire San Luis Valley this year. We are experiencing similar conditions on all of the State Wildlife Areas in southern Colorado and expect a less than average harvest," he said .
Although water conditions on the nearby Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge also reflect the region
