Wednesday January 29, 2025
Burckrail —
On Jan. 7, the Department of the Interior announced that Trout Unlimited (TU) is set to receive about $1.25 million in federal funding to help reconnect native fish migration routes on the Hoback River.
According to the Department of the Interior, the money is part of $41 million of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to bolster water resources, advance ecosystem health and support resilience in communities facing drought and other climate change impacts.
Leslie Bahn Steen, Wyoming state director for TU, told Buckrail that the funding will help native cutthroat trout and other species deal with extreme weather threats.
“TU is thrilled to receive this WaterSMART grant from the Bureau of Reclamation for our Hoback River Tributaries project,” Steen said. “Through this grant, we will be replacing eight irrigation diversions that are currently acting as fish passage barriers on Dell and Jack Creeks, two tributaries of the Hoback River. Reconnecting these tributaries will allow for native Snake River cutthroat trout to reach spawning and rearing habitat and provide resiliency for them during times of drought and extreme weather events. The project is also beneficial to ranch operations, to the public that fishes the Hoback River and to the local economy.”