The arizona game and fish department (hereafter department) manages the south fork little colorado river as an apache trout recovery stream to support an existing apache trout population

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) provides $180,000.00 to the Arizona Department of Game and Fish (AZGFD) to restore habitat and eliminate a temperature and habitat barrier for Apache trout in the South Fork Little Colorado River. The funding will support on-the-ground habitat restoration activities along a 1.8-mile reach of the river, which was impacted by the 2011 Wallow Fire, to reconnect 5.5 miles of downstream habitat and improve conditions for the native Apache trout population. As the state wildlife agency, AZGFD has demonstrated expertise in managing the South Fork Little Colorado River and delivering specialized conservation and restoration services in partnership with federal agencies. The award has an end date of December 31, 2028.

This apache trout population is protected by two artificial barriers that were built in 2004. In 2011 the wallow fire burned through the south fork little colorado river watershed. Following the fire riparian vegetation was mostly eliminated along the south fork little colorado river and pool habitat was filled in which reduced water depth and increase water temperatures creating a temperature and habitat barrier for apache trout. In particular the 2.9 KM (1.8 MI) reach from the upper fish barrier to the confluence of the south fork little colorado river and JOE baca draw now contains primarily shallow riffle habitat with water temperatures that exceed that of apache trout thermal preferences. During the most recent apache trout population estimate survey completed in 2021 no apache trout were sampled in this reach. As such IT appears this reach of the south fork little colorado river is a temperature and habitat barrier to apache trout. Processed based habitat restoration within this reach could improve habitat and eliminate this temperature and habitat barrier for apache trout. This would reconnect 8.9 KM (5.5 MI) of downstream habitat and improve habitat conditions for apache trout in the south fork little colorado river.