Word from the Smokies: Early mussel restoration efforts show promise
Flowing over nutrient-rich limestone rock that fueled a diverse assemblage of species, Abrams Creek was once one of the most productive streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That changed in 1957, when wildlife managers intent on expanding opportunities for anglers stocked it with non-native rainbow trout — after applying the fish pesticide rotenone to the entire lower portion of the creek, hoping to protect the trout from competition. Chilhowee Dam was completed later that year, cutting the creek off from downstream fish populations.
Fisheries update offered next month
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park fisheries department is offering an informative and educational workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Old Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee. The workshop is open to any interested folks at no charge.