ACES has been identified as an ideal location for a Colorado River cutthroat trout refugium. The purpose of a refugium is to create a self-sustaining wild population of these unique trout whose eggs and genes can be used for reintroduction programs in isolated streams and lakes of the Colorado Basin. Since a part of ACES' mission is to restore the balance of natural communities, this project is a perfect fit.

At Hallam Lake, we are working in partnership with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to "bring back the natives." Our goal is to raise a healthy population of native Colorado River cutthroat trout, the only native trout to this region. Up until the late 1800's, these trout prospered in the upper Colorado River Basin (which includes the Roaring Fork River and its tributaries). Once settlers began introducing non-native trout, the Colorado River cutthroat trout numbers began to decrease dramatically.

The cutthroat, Oncorhynchus clarki, has several geographic subspecies, including one that is native to the Colorado River drainage system, O. clarki pleuriticus. A sample of these native trout was taken from a relic population living in Lake Nanita, in Rocky Mountain National Park by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Some of these trout were stocked in Hallam Lake when the lake was revitalized in 1995. It is this group of beautiful, golden-brown, black-spotted trout with the bright orange slash on the lower jaw that we see in the indoor trout stream.

We have removed many of the non-native Brook Trout from Hallam Lake, enhancing the overall habitat for the cutthroat trout. The success of the Trout Rearing Project is evident in the increase in the number of young trout returning to Hallam Lake after the spring spawn.

In addition, educational programs for the public on the Wild Cutthroat have been added that emphasize the importance of native species protection. We have added an indoor trout stream at Hallam Lake, which is much more than an aquarium. It is a reproduction of a real stream environment, with riffle and pool for all to see - a unique system that allows everyone, including small children, to see trout in their native habitat. It provides a unique opportunity to watch trout as they feed, rest, interact, and even spawn. The stream has continuous waterflow through two plexiglass tanks connected by a pass-through pipe. The upstream tank serves as the riffle, and the downstream tank serves as the pool in this stream environment. It is within these "homey" surroundings that the trout thrive. Trout are taken from Hallam Lake and placed in the tanks on a rotating basis.

The cutthroat trout in the stream are fed by the ACES' staff each day. Their diet varies, consisting of crickets, flies, scuds, and other live food as may be available. The trout are maintained in good health and readily accept their temporary home in the tanks.

Having a river running through ACES has certainly helped the staff and interested visitors better understand the underwater life of the cutthroat trout.