The Bureau of Reclamation, United States Forest Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, collectively the “Agencies,” are looking for early feedback on a native fish restoration effort on the upper Verde River.

• The proposed project includes the construction of two concrete fish barriers in the upper Verde River, Yavapai County, Arizona.
• This early public outreach initiative is intended to foster learning and garner feedback on the proposed fish barriers.

This is NOT part of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, but simply a forum to assess public opinion on the proposed fish barriers.

• Public feedback received will be used to help determine if the project should be moved forward.
• If the Agencies decide to move forward, a formal NEPA assessment will be followed that includes additional opportunities for public feedback.

Native Fish Restoration in the Southwest

Native fish in the southwest have been declining over the last century and a half. Early declines were principally a result of habitat destruction and alteration. However, the establishment of non-native fishes is now the most significant factor preventing persistence and recovery of native fishes in the southwest.

Verde River Basin

• Non-native fish are widespread throughout the Verde River basin; their introduction ranged from intentional stockings of forage and sport fish to the release of unwanted aquarium fish and leftover bait fish.
• Most of these introduced fish are piscivores (fish eaters) and will consume or outcompete native fish for food and habitat.
• Native fishes in the Verde River Basin co-evolved with few predators, therefore, they are unable to cope with and/or avoid the wide array of non-native predators - this can lead to population decline or eradication of native fish species.

Upper Verde River

• The Upper Verde River is the section of river from Sycamore Creek up to Sullivan Dam near Paulden, AZ.
• Restoring the native fishery in this section of river has the potential to increase existing populations of native fish and re-establish populations of endangered fish.
• Historically, this section of the Verde River was home to many native fish species including Spikedace, Loach minnow, Razorback sucker, Roundtail chub, Desert sucker, Sonora sucker, Speckled dace, and Longfin dace, today only the last five species listed remain.
• Today, this section of the river (and others) are dominated by non-native fish.

Recreational Angling

Angling is a popular activity in the Upper Verde River. The Arizona Game and Fish Department estimates that this area gets nearly 9,000 angler user days per year. Anglers in the Upper Verde River primarily catch a mix of nonnative (red eye bass) and native fish species (roundtail chub).

• With the shift to a native sport-fish fishery, it is not expected that the opportunity for angling would decrease should this project move forward.
• Restoration of native fish would likely serve to increase angling opportunities for roundtail chub and make this section of the Verde River one of the rare areas in Arizona where anglers can catch a native fish.

This project would help protect nearly 38 miles of native fish habitat.

The proposed project includes construction of two concrete fish barriers in the Upper Verde River, Yavapai County just north of Clarkdale, Arizona. The two barriers would be constructed within the Prescott National Forest.

• The “Upper Barrier” would be constructed approximately 19 miles downstream from the Verde River headwaters, just upstream of the confluence with Hell Canyon.
  • Upper Fish Barrier proposed location, click here
• The “Lower Barrier” would be located approximate 38 miles downstream from the Verde River headwaters in an area ¾ of a mile upstream of the Verde River’s confluence with Sycamore Creek.
  • Lower Fish Barrier proposed location, click here