LURAY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) – Fishing is prohibited in Shenandoah National Park.

According to a press release, all streams and rivers in the park are closed to fishing due to low flows and high water temperatures.

Due to the recent drought, water levels are low and some sections of the river have dried up completely. The hot weather has also caused water temperatures to rise.

Although there was some rain on Wednesday, water levels are expected to remain low and continue to fall.

These conditions cause great stress to the fish and reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which can lead to death.

This closure affects both waters where the fish are allowed for fishing and waters where catch and release is permitted.

The closure will be lifted when river conditions improve, but this will require significant rainfall.

This is the third time in four years that the national park has had to stop fishing. There were also droughts in 2021 and 2023.