CPW to restore native cutthroat trout in Clear Fork of Muddy Creek
John LivingstonSouthwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW
An overhead view of the new fish barrier constructed in 2023 on Clear Fork of East Muddy Creek. The downstream barrier will isolate native Colorado River cutthroat trout so they can re-populate the main stem of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek.
July 23, 2025
HOTCHKISS, Colo. – A project to remove brook trout from 13 miles of stream on the Clear Fork of Muddy Creek is scheduled to be conducted Aug. 18-22.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has worked hard in recent decades to restore native cutthroat trout to historical waters where they were displaced by the non-native fish stocking practices of previous generations.
As part of that work, CPW has coordinated with several partners in a multi-year project to reclaim Clear Fork of Muddy Creek near Paonia. That stream was inadvertently stocked with brook trout in the early 2000s, which has had a detrimental impact on the native cutthroat population.
“The Clear Fork offers a great opportunity to restore Colorado River cutthroat trout into their native habitat,” said CPW aquatic biologist Eric Gardunio. “The remote nature of this drainage coupled with the high quality habitat will make this a stronghold for this species.”
CPW has worked on cutthroat trout restoration projects throughout the state for decades. Restoration work is done to assure that native trout remain a sustainable and important part of Colorado’s natural environment. Colorado River cutthroat trout currently occupy approximately 14% of their historic habitat.
Planning on this project first began in 2017. In 2023, CPW worked with several partners to build a protective barrier on the Clear Fork of East Muddy Creek northwest of Paonia in Gunnison County. This downstream barrier will isolate the native Colorado River cutthroat trout so that they can re-populate the main stem of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek.
Now, CPW will use the organic piscicide rotenone to treat the creek above the barrier and remove the non-native brook trout so that native Colorado River cutthroat trout can be stocked into the creek in following years.
To establish native cutthroat trout in suitable habitat, the removal of non-native trout is essential. Non-native trout compete, prey on and/or readily hybridize with cutthroat trout. Multiple research studies show that cutthroats die out in the presence of non-native trout. Successfully establishing a population requires removing all the non-native trout before cutthroat can be stocked.
The removal of non-native fish is done with the use of the EPA-registered piscicide rotenone, an organic chemical that comes from a tropical legume (pea family) root that has been used by indigenous peoples to capture fish and has been used throughout the world for fish management projects. Rotenone only affects gill-breathing animals and some gilled stream invertebrates when used properly. Amphibians are typically not affected because they are air-breathing by the time a reclamation project occurs in late July or early August. CPW, as well as other state fish and game agencies, have successfully used rotenone for more than 80 years to remove fish in controlled and targeted reaches of lakes and streams.
“Because CPW is applying piscicides, public use of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek will be restricted during the treatment dates,” CPW Southwest Region Senior Aquatic Biologist Jim White said. “Treated water entering Muddy Creek is detoxified and expected to dilute 100% downstream of the treatment area. The affected area will be signed, notifying the public before and during the treatment.”
The public can expect heavy traffic from CPW off-road vehicles during the project dates. This will include the Clear Fork Trailhead downstream and Forest Service Road 844 and FS Road 808.1 at the headwaters.
Anglers and recreationists may see a slight discoloration or a green tint of the water with the presence of an inert dye used to trace water flow during the use of rotenone.
The treated areas will be void of fish until at least next summer when crews will get a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.
Three tributaries – Basin Creek, Rock Creek and South Twin Creek – all have populations of the cutthroat trout that are native to this drainage that have been isolated by natural barriers. Gardunio said juvenile fish collected from those drainages can be used to reseed the entire drainage with those native fish.
“They have a unique genetic signature from this lineage of cutthroats,” Gardunio said. “They are a unique part of the genetic puzzle that is still left on the landscape.”
“Clear Fork of Muddy Creek has really nice habitat that can promote high densities of fish. In the future, we can continue to utilize this as a source of fish and repatriate other area streams with those rare genetics.”
In addition to native cutthroats, mottled sculpin will also be restocked from downstream sources to restore the native aquatic community above the concrete barrier. Future opportunities to restore native bluehead and flannelmouth suckers may also become possible.
CPW would like to recognize the many partners that have contributed both time and funding to this project. Partners include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, Western Native Trout Initiative, Colorado River District, Fresh Water Life, Running Rivers, Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Grand Valley Anglers, Ross Reels and Trout and Salmon Foundation.
HOTCHKISS, Colo. – A project to remove brook trout from 13 miles of stream on the Clear Fork of Muddy Creek is scheduled to be conducted Aug. 18-22.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has worked hard in recent decades to restore native cutthroat trout to historical waters where they were displaced by the non-native fish stocking practices of previous generations.
As part of that work, CPW has coordinated with several partners in a multi-year project to reclaim Clear Fork of Muddy Creek near Paonia. That stream was inadvertently stocked with brook trout in the early 2000s, which has had a detrimental impact on the native cutthroat population.
“The Clear Fork offers a great opportunity to restore Colorado River cutthroat trout into their native habitat,” said CPW aquatic biologist Eric Gardunio. “The remote nature of this drainage coupled with the high quality habitat will make this a stronghold for this species.”
CPW has worked on cutthroat trout restoration projects throughout the state for decades. Restoration work is done to assure that native trout remain a sustainable and important part of Colorado’s natural environment. Colorado River cutthroat trout currently occupy approximately 14% of their historic habitat.
Planning on this project first began in 2017. In 2023, CPW worked with several partners to build a protective barrier on the Clear Fork of East Muddy Creek northwest of Paonia in Gunnison County. This downstream barrier will isolate the native Colorado River cutthroat trout so that they can re-populate the main stem of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek.
Now, CPW will use the organic piscicide rotenone to treat the creek above the barrier and remove the non-native brook trout so that native Colorado River cutthroat trout can be stocked into the creek in following years.
To establish native cutthroat trout in suitable habitat, the removal of non-native trout is essential. Non-native trout compete, prey on and/or readily hybridize with cutthroat trout. Multiple research studies show that cutthroats die out in the presence of non-native trout. Successfully establishing a population requires removing all the non-native trout before cutthroat can be stocked.
The removal of non-native fish is done with the use of the EPA-registered piscicide rotenone, an organic chemical that comes from a tropical legume (pea family) root that has been used by indigenous peoples to capture fish and has been used throughout the world for fish management projects. Rotenone only affects gill-breathing animals and some gilled stream invertebrates when used properly. Amphibians are typically not affected because they are air-breathing by the time a reclamation project occurs in late July or early August. CPW, as well as other state fish and game agencies, have successfully used rotenone for more than 80 years to remove fish in controlled and targeted reaches of lakes and streams.
“Because CPW is applying piscicides, public use of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek will be restricted during the treatment dates,” CPW Southwest Region Senior Aquatic Biologist Jim White said. “Treated water entering Muddy Creek is detoxified and expected to dilute 100% downstream of the treatment area. The affected area will be signed, notifying the public before and during the treatment.”
The public can expect heavy traffic from CPW off-road vehicles during the project dates. This will include the Clear Fork Trailhead downstream and Forest Service Road 844 and FS Road 808.1 at the headwaters.
Anglers and recreationists may see a slight discoloration or a green tint of the water with the presence of an inert dye used to trace water flow during the use of rotenone.
The treated areas will be void of fish until at least next summer when crews will get a chance to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.
Three tributaries – Basin Creek, Rock Creek and South Twin Creek – all have populations of the cutthroat trout that are native to this drainage that have been isolated by natural barriers. Gardunio said juvenile fish collected from those drainages can be used to reseed the entire drainage with those native fish.
“They have a unique genetic signature from this lineage of cutthroats,” Gardunio said. “They are a unique part of the genetic puzzle that is still left on the landscape.”
“Clear Fork of Muddy Creek has really nice habitat that can promote high densities of fish. In the future, we can continue to utilize this as a source of fish and repatriate other area streams with those rare genetics.”
In addition to native cutthroats, mottled sculpin will also be restocked from downstream sources to restore the native aquatic community above the concrete barrier. Future opportunities to restore native bluehead and flannelmouth suckers may also become possible.
CPW would like to recognize the many partners that have contributed both time and funding to this project. Partners include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Trout Unlimited, Western Native Trout Initiative, Colorado River District, Fresh Water Life, Running Rivers, Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Grand Valley Anglers, Ross Reels and Trout and Salmon Foundation.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
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