Native Brook Trout Restoration on Indian Flats Prong Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Final Report

Moore, Steve; Kulp, Matt

Brook trout are relegated to small headwater streams which are subject to acidification and already have pH declines of up to a full unit after rain events. Observed values after rain events are in the range (<5.5) known to produce stress and/or lead to mortality. Restoration of larger streams at mid to low elevations (i.e. <1,070m or 3,500ft) is necessary to prevent further headwater range loss, stabilize populations in the Park, and expand brook trout range. Restoration and population stabilization is also extremely important because brook trout south of the New River drainage in Virginia have been shown to be genetically distinct from northern strains of brook trout. The GRSM Fisheries Management Plan (March 1993) identified 10 streams (64 km) that can be restored to native southern Appalachian brook trout. Lynn Camp Prong is one of the streams identified for restoration in the plan. Currently, native brook trout are relegated to a 1.0 km segment of upper Lynn Camp Prong and are threatened by rainbow trout encroachment. Indian Flats Prong is a second order tributary to Lynn Camp Prong separated by three large barrier falls. Northern hatchery strain brook trout were stocked into Indian Flats Prong in 1938 and soon expanded their range and hybridized with the remnant southern Appalachian brook trout population. The short-term goal is to first remove the non-native brook trout from Indian Flats Prong. Following removal, native brook trout will be transplanted from upper Lynn Camp Prong into Indian Flats Prong in order to establish a refuge and eventual source stock for the future Lynn Camp Prong restoration effort. The goal of this project is to eliminate non-native hybrid brook trout from 4.0 km of Indian Flats Prong. Successful project completion will restore environmental integrity to a segment of historic brook trout range and help meet NPS mandates to restore native species. Indian Flats Prong was the third GRSM stream restored for native brook trout using antimycin.