Indian Lake, N.Y. ? The Adirondack Mountains’ Hudson River Gorge, so isolated that anglers hike more than two miles to enjoy its splendor, is now torn by a new business revitalizing the area’s economy.

Fly fishermen say the lucrative rage of summer whitewater rafting in the 17-mile gorge is destroying the storied trout fishing spot.

Jim Nash stands on the rocks at Perry Ehler Rapids in the Hudson River where he says summer whitewater rafting has destroyed the native brown and brook trout in that section of the river.

“It’s like Wacky Wally’s Water World, that’s what some of the old timers call it,” said Jim Nash, who has fished the central Adirondacks stretch of the Hudson since 1957.

Four years ago, the town of Indian Lake artificially extended the rafting season to the peak summer tourist season by timing dam releases four times a week to create a bubble for rafting.

Fishermen, however, say the bubble that increases the river’s flow several times above normal takes a toll. The surge scours insect habitats, causes erosion and creates a sudden increase in water temperature that can kill trout or force them to relocate.

“With this rafting, you are getting the essence of a flood every other day,” Nash said.

Nash said the three-to-nine pound native, mostly brown and brook trout have died or moved to less stressful waters. In their place are mostly small, stocked 8-inchers with less fight and taste, he said.

“We think it’s extremely serious because the river is essentially being destroyed,” Nash said.

Advocates of rafting know the new business helps the region’s economy. About 20,000 rafters visit every year, and some estimate the economic boom is in the millions.

“What’s happened is we’ve capitalized on it a little bit, and the rafting companies saw an opportunity to get some people into this gorge,” Indian Lake supervisor Barry Hutchins said. “It’s been a tremendous help.”

Hutchins said the rafting companies pay the town about $70,000 a year to control the release of water.

In return, rafters as many 400 a day pay up to $75 each for the 17-mile trip that takes five hours and includes a snack and restaurant meal.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is studying whether rafting hurts fishing.

“It’s a beautiful area and a lot of us wouldn’t see it if it wasn’t for rafting,” Hutchins said.