ENNIS — The Ennis Fishing Access Site and the Valley Garden Fishing Access Site are temporarily closed due to flooding and dangerous conditions caused by ice jams on the Madison River.
The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (department) has determined the justification for the adoption of emergency rules closing the Ennis Fishing Access Site and the Valley Garden Fishing Access Site due to ice jams on the Madison River that have caused water to channel and flood multiple portions of the fishing access sites.
The combination of dangerous conditions includes changing flooded areas throughout the sites, moving ice and debris, and potentially unstable trees that could fall, rendering unsafe conditions for pedestrian and vehicle travel. Persons recreating at the fishing access sites would be at risk of injury or drowning. This rule will remain in effect until the department determines that the site is again safe for public occupancy. This will depend on the extent and duration of the ice jams on the river causing flooding into the fishing access site. Signs closing the fishing access site will be removed when the rule is no longer effective.
