Trout fishing in NC? You could see more trout, and better streams, soon.
ASHEVILLE – With fall fishing underway, the U.S. Forest Service is seeking feedback on a plan that would expand and renovate North Carolina’s largest trout hatchery – the Poppy Inn Hatchery. Setzer Fish in Transylvania Province.
The renovations will increase the hatchery’s efficiency in trout production and will improve existing corridors along the Davidson River in the Pisgah National Forest, according to an environmental assessment study conducted by the Forest Service.
“Cumulative impacts from the Setzer hatchery renovations will include improved water quality, increased trout production in the area, and potentially increased flow in sections immediately below the dams on Grogan Creek and the Davidson River,” the study stated.
The environmental assessment study notes that the renovations could increase the population of the rare hellbender salamander, as “proposed improvements to water quality and sediment transport directly beneath the facility could improve the habitat of the hellbenders.”
The hatchery suffered damage from Tropical Storm Fred in 2021, which flooded the Davidson River and caused the hatchery to lose about 67% of its trout. The flooding affected the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Wildlife Education Center, which was demolished later that year after renovations were proposed.
The renovations are intended to replace “outdated and failing infrastructure to ensure continued operation of the Setzer hatchery, increase the efficiency of operations” and improve water quality in the area, according to the study.
The proposed renovations would focus on the Davidson River Inlet, hatchery building and trout waterways, while providing trail renovations that would expand parking spaces for Davidson River fishing, along with providing a new public restroom for visitors.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed trout water harvesting on October 1. In 33 streams, anglers will only be able to fish with artificial bait on a single hook.
Under delayed harvest catch and release regulations, no trout may be harvested or possessed from designated waters between October 1 and June 1, 2024.
More information about stream regulation is available at ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Fish/Trout/Trout-Fishing.
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A low-head dam poses risks, but is not within the scope of the project
When the renovations were initially proposed in 2022, a scoping letter outlining the project’s goals was accompanied by an opportunity for public feedback. During that period, five of the six comments about the project directly addressed concerns about the lower Davidson River dam.
Accidents related to low dams led to 111 deaths nationally between 2018 and 2020, according to the National Weather Service. A further 38 deaths were recorded at or near low-lying dams in 2021.
At this time, there is no data available to indicate whether the low-head Davidson Dam has resulted in any fatalities.
Kevin Colburn, national stewardship coordinator for American Whitewater, a nonprofit focused on river conservation and promoting paddling safety on rivers and streams, wrote to the Forest Service about the dam in 2022, asking the agency to “place it within scope for renovations.”
The current plans do not include removing the low dam, because it is “not within the scope of the plans’ procedures.” The US Forest Service sent the Citizen-Times a statement regarding the dam:
“The proposed actions are focused on improving and creating efficiencies in ongoing operations associated with the Setzer Hatchery. Removing the hatchery from NFS lands and removing or modifying diversion dams are not currently within the scope of the proposed actions for this project.”
Colburn still believes the dam could pose a danger to travelers across the river.
“Low-head dams are responsible for about 10 percent of drownings in whitewater rivers due to whitewater rafting, so for our community, they are definitely one of the leading causes of death,” he said, referring to the paddling community.
The lower Davidson River dam serves the function of diverting water to the hatchery and would need to be replaced with a different solution if it were removed, Colburn said.
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Regardless, Colburn believes the project will benefit everyone interested in the area.
“More than the actual fish production or fishing in the southern Appalachians, it’s just the beginning of a really important river; it’s a really important river access area,” Colburn said. “When I review the analysis, I’m really going to look at what this is going to do for visitors to the Davidson River who won’t be fishing, but will be doing all the other things that are unique to it.”
The complete environmental assessment of the renovations and where to leave public comment are available at fs.usda.gov/project/nfsnc/?project=59657. Public comment will be taken until October 17.
Will Hoffman is the growth and development correspondent for the Asheville Citizen-Times, part of the USA Today network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.
