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Reintroduction of Native Brook Trout into Indian Flats Prong, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Brook trout, the only salmonid native to the southeast, have lost about 75% of their historic range due to past logging activities and introduction of non-native trout. In 1993, the National Park Service identified 10 streams that can support native southern Appalachian brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The long term goal is to restore historic range of habitat for this native species.

Partner(s): Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency US Environmental Protection Agency

ReintroduceBrookTrout1.png
Indian Flats Prong, GreatSmokyMountains
NP, TN

Description of Site:

  • One of the 10 identified streams is Lynn Camp Prong. Restoration activity was concentrated on 4.0 km of Indian Flats Prong, a second order tributary of Lynn Camp Prong.

Problem:

  • Although upper reaches of Lynn Camp Prong has a population of Appalachian brook trout, Indian Flats Prong was populated with non-native hybrid brook trout that developed after stocking in 1938 of a northern hatchery strain of brook trout. The northern strain hybridized with remnant Appalachian brook trout, eliminating the native population.

  •  

    ReintroduceBrookTrout2.png
    Stream segments (700-1,300m) were
     treated in 2005.
    Three large barrier falls separate Indian Flats Prong from Lynn Camp Prong.

     

Strategy:

  • Eliminate non-native brook trout from site by carefully using a piscicide followed by adetoxication process to neutralize waters.
  • Collect about 200 native Appalachian brook trout from upper Lynn Camp Prong and distribute in selected locations in Indian Flats Prong.
  • Involve volunteer stakeholders to remove the hybrids and stock
    the native fishes.

 

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Indian Prong with thriving brook trout
population.

Sampling in 2008 indicates that the introduced native Appalachian brook trout have successfully reproduced and the population is expanding.

 

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Barriers

Name of barrier Latitude Longitude FONS ID FIS Project ID FWS Acc. #

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