Local high school students recently watched on as the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment fisheries crew used electrofishing gear to sample Salmon Creek in northwestern Connecticut.
The monitoring (below) is part of the long term Salmon Kill Enhancement and Restoration Project, which is focused on improving habitat for native and wild trout. Tracking population levels of trout over time will help determine the effectiveness of the recently constructed restoration site at Lime Rock Park Raceway.
Salmon Creek is a tributary of the Housatonic River and located in the backyard of the local Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The stream is believed to have important potential as a nursery and important coldwater refuge for trout.
TU has been working with the schools engaging the students in monitoring and planting activities in the project area. The results of the day were encouraging, and included the collecition of a 22-inch-long female wild brown trout (above), which was quickly released back into the creek after measurements and photos.