Arizona’s Fish Hatcheries Face Closures After Intense Rainfall
Arizona’s fish hatcheries, vital for stocking the state’s water bodies, are facing significant challenges due to recent weather events. This past weekend, the state experienced heavy rainfall causing severe flooding that led to the closure of three out of its six hatcheries.
The most affected facility is the Tonto Creek Hatchery, located near Payson, where over 2 inches of rain caused floods that damaged infrastructure, including the hatchery’s feed room, and led to the washing out of nearby roads. Despite these setbacks, the fish containment areas at the facility remain unaffected, ensuring that fish stocking operations continue as planned.
In addition to Tonto Creek, the Canyon Creek Hatchery, also near Payson, and Silver Creek Hatchery in the Show Low/Pinetop area, have been temporarily shut down. The combined efforts of these hatcheries contribute significantly to Arizona’s fish production, with an annual average of 400,000 pounds of fish distributed across 118 locations statewide.
Other state hatcheries have also felt the impact of the relentless rains and floods. At the Bubbling Ponds Hatchery, floodwaters from Oak Creek inundated the basshouse. Meanwhile, the Sterling Springs Hatchery is grappling with a power outage that remains unresolved.
These hatcheries play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and supporting recreational fishing in the state. Efforts are underway to assess and repair the damage to resume operations promptly.
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