The Chalk Cliffs Rearing Unit is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife cold water fish production facility located near Arkansas River and Chalk Creek in Chaffee County, Colorado. Hatchery staff works to support the raising of approximately 700,000 catchable, ten-inch rainbow trout annually. The hatchery stocks fish along the Front Range from Loveland to the New Mexico border, and east almost to the Kansas border.
| Chalk Cliffs Rearing Unit | |
|---|---|
  Location in Colorado  Location in United States | |
| General information | |
| Address | 22605 CR 287 |
| Town or city | Nathrop, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 38°42′44″N 106°14′07″W / 38.712194°N 106.235361°W |
| Inaugurated | 1950 |
History
editChalk Cliffs was inaugurated in 1950.[1]
In 1986, the facility experienced a widespread death among fingerling trout. This was thought to be a result of using creek water. Water quality sampling by the Department of Public Health and the Environment found that the cause was high amounts of zinc and cadmium, from the Mary Murphy Mine upstream.[2] In 1990, Chalk Creek was chosen for cleanup through the Division of Minerals and Geology. This was necessary as the levels were impacting fish habitats and water quality degradation in the Arkansas River. Yet, their clean up attempts were unsuccessful.[2]
Mission
editAn overarching mission among the hatchery staff is educating the public. The facilities provide fish for stock in many areas which supports angling recreation. The facility offers educational materials and tours.
Fish species
editThe Chalk Cliffs Rearing Unit raises catchable rainbow trout, cutthroat trout.[3] They obtain their water source from a nearby creek.[4]
References
edit- ^ Wiltzius, William. "Fish Culture and Stocking in Colorado, 1872-1978" (PDF). Native Fish Lab. Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ a b Historic Hardrock Mining: The West's Toxic Legacy : the Critical Link Between Water Quality and Abandoned Mine Sites. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8. 1995. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ "Fish Hatcheries". Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- ^ Halverson, Anders (2010). An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300166866. Retrieved 1 May 2019.