Big Springs Tribal Hatchery
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Selection Marker ImageFish Hatchery Production Plan
Selection Marker ImageKamas State Fish Hatchery
Selection Marker ImageFountain Green Fish Hatchery
Selection Marker ImageNative Aquatic Species Culture Facility
Selection Marker ImageJones Hole National Fish Hatchery
Selection Marker ImageBig Springs Tribal Hatchery
Selection Marker ImageWhiterocks State Fish Hatchery
Selection Marker ImageHatchery
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The Big Springs Tribal Fish Hatchery is a new coldwater hatchery built for the Ute Tribe to own and operate. Big Springs is located in the Uinta River basin, in Duchesne County, Utah. The hatchery site consists of a developed water supply system using the Big Springs as a water supply, a hatchery building with internal water delivery systems and fish rearing units, an office and storage space, staff housing and a power supply.

A final Environmental Assessment for constructing the Ute Tribe Fish Hatchery; Big Springs Unit and Youth Camp Unit was completed in May 2007. Based on the document, the decision was made to construct the Big Springs Tribal Fish Hatchery on approximately 4 acres on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation.

Construction was initiated in June 2009 and completed November 2010. The Mitigation Commission was responsible for providing 75% of the construction cost. Funds were provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The first stocking was made in May 2012 to Midview Reservoir. Stocking in Reservation waters for 2012 was 20,2045 lbs.

The hatchery will help the Tribe meet its long-term fish stocking needs and management objectives for providing cold-water sport fishing opportunities. It will also help conserve Colorado River cutthroat trout in its historic range in Utah. Under the Fish Hatchery Production Plan, other fish species that may be reared here are rainbow, brown, brook and lake trout.

The Central Utah Project and other reclamation projects created many reservoirs in Utah. These flatwater areas provide for a variety of water-related recreation opportunities including fishing. Most reservoir fisheries are heavily used and not able to sustain themselves through natural recruitment, requiring management programs dependent on stocking hatchery-reared fish. Fish stocking demands in Utah for reclamation projects have been met in the past through both State and Federal hatcheries. CUPCA identifies funding for planning and implementing improvements to existing hatcheries and/or the development of new fish hatcheries to increase production of warm-water and cold-water fish for areas affected by the Colorado River Storage Project in Utah.
 
Email Link to the Utah Reclamation Mitigation Conservation Commission, urmcc@uc.usbr.govAddress for Utah Reclamation Mitigation Conservation Commission, 230 South 500 East, Suite 230, Salt Lake City, Utah 84102-2045, (801)524-3146, Fax (801)524-3148