Fish dying in Boulder lake dried up by drought

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Drought has reduced a Boulder County lake to cracked mud and shallow puddles full of dead and dying fish.

The Boulder Daily Camera reported Wednesday (http://tinyurl.com/9d9wj3w ) that Teller Lake No. 5 is the only lake managed by the city of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks that has gone dry this year.

Rob Alexander, an agricultural resource specialist for the city, says all the other lakes and ponds managed by the agency are down about 50 percent or more.

Jim Reeder, a division manager for the city parks agency, says no water is available for the lake because its water rights have low seniority under state law.

City officials say they don't have the equipment needed to move the fish and that scavengers will likely eat them.