La El Palote dam in León is back in the news after enduring almost two years of drought which left the reservoir practically dry. With the arrival of recent rains, the water level has experienced a significant improvement, which allows not only to recover the surroundings of the Metropolitan Park, but also to reactivate the local fishing activity.
The return of water has been a cause for optimism among fishermen, who have not only waited patiently for the reservoir to be filled, but have also been involved in the cleaning process removing dozens of tons of accumulated garbage. This commitment to restoring the ecosystem has been essential to preparing the ground for the next sowing de peces.
Plan to repopulate the dam: relocation and planting of new species
La Collaboration between fishermen, authorities and local communities has allowed us to design a strategy so that the sowing de peces be a realityIn a first stage, they will be moved between 1,000 and 1,500 copies from the lake of the El Molino subdivision, where there is a overpopulation de peces suitable for repopulation from the El Palote dam.
To organize this work, the 22 registered fishermen They will form teams: some will be in charge of transporting the fish, while others will directly supervise their introduction into the reservoir. Regarding these actions, MarÃa Fernanda RodrÃguez, the municipal head of Economic Reactivation, explained that the relocated fish are already large enough to ensure efficient reproduction and will allow fishing to resume in the area within six months.
Furthermore, It is planned to plant up to 50,000 offspring. of species such as carp and tilapia, far exceeding the numbers stocked last year, which barely reached 5,000. The goal is to consolidate a stable ecosystem to ensure the sustained return of fishing activity.
Current conditions of the dam and institutional support

Currently, the El Palote dam reaches nearly 34% of its capacity, according to reports from the León Drinking Water and Sewerage System (SAPAL). The June rains have been key to the reservoir's recovery, although the process will be gradual and depend on continued rainfall in the coming weeks.
During the most critical phase of the drought, the Fishermen received financial and food support by the city council, allowing them to survive until the activity could be reestablished. Vessels like fishermen have official records, which facilitates the management and monitoring of actions aimed at repopulation de peces.
The cooperation of entities such as the Rural Development Directorate and the El Molino subdivision itself has been essential in coordinating the transfer. de peces and ensure that the aquatic life cycle is successfully restored. The goal is for introduced populations to be able to reproduce effectively, ensuring that the El Palote dam becomes a healthy and productive habitat again for local communities.
Ecological challenge and citizen participation
The progressive filling of the dam has attracted numerous visitors and revitalized the wildlife that depends on this ecosystem. However, the accumulation of waste and the diversion of water into some streams continue to be challenges to the sustainability of the environment.
For this reason, representatives of the fishermen insist on the importance of avoiding littering in streams and surrounding areas. They have requested greater citizen commitment to keep the channels clean and ensure the long-term conservation of both the aquatic fauna as well as the natural space in which they carry out their activity.
La social and environmental recovery of the El Palote dam is underway, actively participating institutions, fishermen and neighborsThe actions undertaken not only seek to revitalize the local economy but also to consolidate a model for the responsible use of natural resources.

