Thursday June 5, 2025
KUER —
The spot where the Virgin River curves around the Temple of Sinawava used to be the end of the line for some of Zion National Park’s native fish.
A dam was built here in 1957 to house a water line. The concrete structure was only a couple of feet high, but that was more than enough to trap fish downstream and cut them off from around 80 miles of river.
“Our native fish are not very good jumpers,” park scientist Robyn Henderek wryly noted.
Now, fish can swim those miles as they please. After several years of planning, the park removed the dam this spring.
Fish need to be able to travel freely throughout a river’s path for a variety of reasons, Henderek said, and they require different types of habitat at different life stages. Baby fish prefer calm backwater sanctuaries. Adults have to swim upstream to lay eggs.