At Sweitzer Lake near Delta, the fish carry selenium and are not for eating

Sweitzer Lake State Park sits just outside the city of Delta and is an easy place for a day on the water, with boating, paddling, and bird watching. It is also a spot with one rule that surprises newcomers: you can fish it, but you should not eat what you catch.

The state wildlife agency says the fish in Sweitzer Lake contain selenium and are not edible, and the lake is managed as catch-and-release. Selenium is a naturally occurring element that washes into the water from the local soils and rock, common in this part of the Western Slope, and it builds up in fish over time. Catching and releasing is fine; taking fish home for the pan is not.

This is not a sign the park is unsafe to visit. Boating, swimming at the beach, and watching for waterbirds all go on as normal. It is specifically the eating of the fish that the advisory addresses. If you fish other Delta County waters, do not assume the same rule applies there, or the reverse; advisories are set water by water.

Before you fish or plan a meal from any Colorado lake or river, check the park’s rules on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife page and the fish consumption advisories from the state health department.