COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Earlier this month, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) conducted and electrofishing and studied greenback cutthroat trout in Colorado Springs.
According to CPW, electrofishing sends a small charge to a metal ring on a pole that moves under water. The ring discharges a low charge to stun nearby fish temporarily, which allows them to be netted and counted.
The number, type and health of the collected fish provide data used to determine the health of the water, according to CPW.
On August 21, CPW staff used electrofishing and nets to rescue and relocate more than 800 cutthroat trout from Mason Reservoir to McReynolds Reservoir.
This is part of ongoing drainage at Mason Reservoir, which is part of scheduled Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) maintenance. Last month, CPW and CSU rescued more than 1,700 cutthroat trout from Mason Reservoir.
Covering Colorado
CPW and Springs Utilities rescue more than 1,700 trout from Mason Reservoir
On Monday, CPW conducted electrofishing in Bear Creek to determine the abundance and species of the fish population.
“This effort gives us insight into the demographics of greenback cutthroat trout and brook trout in the area,” said Cory Noble, a CPW Aquatic Biologist.
CPW staff completed two upstream collections. The fish were then placed upstream in a submerged net during the second count.
“Bear Creek has very clean water, but faces an ongoing road sediment challenge,” said Noble. “The sediment fills pools that the fish need for habitat, and that creates a shallow creek with less habitat complexity.”
After the assessment, CPW says the cutthroat trout were then released back into the creek. They say a population estimate for Bear Creek had not been done since 1996.
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