The Shenandoah National Park will be closing its rivers and streams effectively immediately, according to the park.
The move is being made due to low flows and high water temperatures, 10 News has been told. Dry conditions at the park have led to extremely low stream flows, while some rivers are completely dry.
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The park said that low flows and high water levels are extremely stressful conditions for fish and dissolved oxygen can decline to fatal conditions.
10 News has learned that fishing during these conditions could harm the native brook trout populations, which are already low throughout the park.
Shenandoah National Park says that it will lift the ban when stream conditions are improved. It says that stream levels will most likely remain low until significant rainfall occurs throughout the area.