Despite a rough winter for much of the wildlife throughout North Dakota there could be a silver lining come spring.
With record and near record snowfall around the state, the runoff as the snow melts could lead to fisheries filling up with water and an abundance of fishing opportunities returning to the landscape.
"We're cautiously optimistic and the table has been set pretty well," North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries division Chief Greg Power said. "It's going to be critical how it plays out in March though."
Power said the moisture received prior to the onset of winter and the steady amount of snow cover will likely lead to exceptional runoff this spring, but that is dependent on how fast the runoff occurs.
"The longer it stays cold the more likely we're going to have a big runoff event," Power said, adding there could be quite a few regional lakes and fisheries that could come back after a few years of drought.
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Jeff Hendrickson, the NDGF's fisheries director for southwestern North Dakota, said there have been access concerns at many lakes and a good runoff would help.
"We've got several lakes that are low and they might even fill up," Hendrickson said. "If the lakes are full the boat ramps work better, there's places to shore fish without having to stand in the mud."
The snowfall might not be completely beneficial however. Hendrickson and Power both said there is some risk of winterkill.
While snow covers the ice, light cannot penetrate, and therefore the photosynthesis of underwater vegetation is put on hold. When this happens the oxygen level in the water drops and fish suffocate, Power said.
Power said there are some fisheries that could possibly have a 100 percent mortality rate, but those are likely the poorer fisheries, however, he added that winterkill has its advantages as well.
"A winterkill lake, if it fills up with water is ideal conditions for phenomenal growth," Power said.
Power said with the snow pack likely to affect several of the regional lakes and the good year Lake Sakakawea had last year the Game and Fish is optimistic about the coming year, but one or two weather events can change that.
For example, last year runoff from the mountains in Montana were not expected to have an impact on water levels at Sakakawea, but a late winter snow storm and rainfall in the lower basin of the Missouri River led to higher than projected water levels.
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"It wasn't projected to happen," Power said. "This time last year it was really dismal the forecast, but just a couple of those weather events like that change it dramatically."
