TU Releases New Film, ‘Lifeblood’

Trout Unlimited (TU) has released a new film highlighting restoration work on Muddy Creek, near Rawlins, Wyoming.

Rawlins is famous for being home to the Wyoming State Penitentiary, awful winters, and an abundance of that ever-present Wyoming wind. And while Muddy Creek probably won’t put Rawlins on the map as a must-fish destination, it’s an important project to restore an integral tributary within the Colorado River Basin. Between drought and over-development, the Colorado River Basin is taxed for water. Any help it receives will benefit tens of millions in the West who rely on it for water.

“Historically, Muddy Creek has always been an important water source for both wildlife and humans given its location in the high desert,” said Nick Walrath, Green River senior project manager for Trout Unlimited. “Tribal Nations, emigrants along the Overland Trail, and even visitors to the landscape to this day have all relied upon this creek for water.”

The main focus this year was on building new fake beaver dams to help restore the natural wet meadows and meandering streams that Andrew Archuleta, BLM Wyoming State Director, said were abundant in Muddy Creek. With very few beavers in the area now, the loss of dams has resulted in diminished habitat for all aquatic species, including Colorado River cutthroat trout.

“More than 100 man-made beaver dams were installed over multiple weeks in the desert heat by a collection of partners like Trout Unlimited, work crews, and volunteers,” said Archuleta. “This work is just the beginning of a large-scale effort to restore stream habitat within the Muddy Creek watershed. Additional stream work will continue to focus on enhancing riparian habitat, augmenting spawning gravels, and improving fish passage.”

You can watch the film below.