POWERGRAMS

Running Rainbow The rainbow trout are biting in Alabama. What'd you say? There are no rainbow trout in Alabama because there's no water cold enough for them? Wrong. There is one spot that can support rainbow trout – the Lewis Smith Dam tailrace, where water from the bottom of the clear-water lake remains in the 60-degree range during summer heat. Although rainbow trout can live in the water below the dam, the tailrace must be regularly re-stocked because it cannot support a spawning population of trout. A recent re-stocking sent 1,800 trout into the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, where Alabama Power has made many improvements to benefit fish and fishermen. Environmental Affairs Supervisor Jason Carlee said fishing has been important since the 300-foot- tall, 2,200-foot-long dam was completed in 1961. "It didn't take long to realize there was the potential for a cold water fishery right here in the tailrace," Carlee said. "Fish (rainbow trout) were stocked in the lake in the late 1960s, but the fishing success was not there. So they began looking at the tailrace. They began stocking trout in the tailrace around 1974. It's been stocked since that time." In 2005, Alabama Power applied for renewal of its federal hydroelectric license for Smith Dam. With input from the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (WFF), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other stakeholder groups, a plan was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. "The plan was developed to improve access to the tailrace, provide habitat enhancements to improve the fishery and the fishing in the tailrace, and it also developed a minimum flow system in the tailrace that would provide a 50-cubic-feet-per- second flow at all times," Carlee said. Seven metal staircases and walkways were erected for better visitor access to the tailrace. The staircases are located from just below the dam to just north of the Highway 69 bridge. One of those access points is a barrier-free location to accommodate people with physical disabilities. Jay Haffner, WFF fisheries biologist, said the only other area east of the Mississippi River at Smith Dam's latitude that offers trout fishing is the tailrace at Lake Lanier in Georgia. "We've got a lot to showcase," Haffner said. "Today we're showcasing an extraordinarily unique resource in the Deep South where you can take family and friends and catch trout on the warmest day of the year." Haffner said fishermen venturing into the tailrace waters without wearing insulated waders will soon discover how cold water must be for rainbow trout to survive and thrive. "With Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries' many partners – Alabama Power, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery – we stock this stretch of river every month of the year," Haffner said. "We stock about 35,000 trout annually." Haffner said since 2011 Alabama Power has provided $26,000 annually for the restocking efforts as part of its federal license agreement. Trout are purchased from Westover Farms in Missouri for five stockings, while Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery provides the bulk of the fish, about 25,000 "catchable size" trout. Funding also comes from the Sport Fish Restoration Act, which collects excise taxes on fishing equipment. "One out of every four trout that is stocked gets harvested by an angler," Haffner said. "Many of these fish are being caught and released, primarily by anglers who are using flies." By David Rainer, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resouces ENVIRONMENT 3 One of 1,800 trout recently released into water below Smith Dam. THOUSANDS OF TROUT STOCKED IN SMITH DAM TAILRACE Visitors watched trout drop down tubes. Trout are restocked monthly. Photos by Billy Brown

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