Conservation project planned to protect Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Teton Canyon

What is Rotenone?

Rotenone is a naturally occurring compound found in plants that has been used by the native peoples of Central and South America for centuries to capture fish for food. It works by inhibiting gilled organisms (like fish) from being able to effectively uptake oxygen. Fisheries managers began using rotenone as a conservation tool as early as the 1930s, and it's been one of the most effective, safest, and fiscally responsible ways to control fish populations.

For more information on the use of rotenone as a tool for fisheries management, click on the following link: Rotenone is the "reset button" for fisheries, but what is it, and how do fisheries managers use it?

What to expect if you're visiting the area

In the coming weeks, you'll see an increased presence of Fish and Game staff collecting preliminary data and staging gear/materials in and around lower Badger Creek. Signs will be posted warning the public not to enter the water on the day of the treatment. On treatment day, people may observe a slight purple color in the Teton River for a short distance downstream of the mouth of Badger Creek, which will be caused by the addition of potassium permanganate to detoxify the rotenone.

Long-Term Plan

In the coming years, Fish and Game will conduct manual suppression as necessary to ensure the Rainbow Trout population in Badger Creek remains in check. "Given populations of Rainbow Trout upstream in Teton Valley, we recognize that complete eradication of Rainbow Trout in Teton Canyon is not a feasible objective," Says Fisheries Biologist Nathan Tillotson. "However, if we can push the reset button on Badger Creek and allow Cutthroat to re-establish as the dominant trout species, the entire population of Cutthroat in Teton Canyon will be more resilient going forward."