Palisade High School Fish Hatchery

Photo courtesy by Cat Mayer

Palisade High School is home to one of the most unique student-led programs in the Grand Valley: the Palisade High School Fish Hatchery, the second in the world of its kind. Situated on the Colorado River, Palisade High School is the perfect location to raise local fish.

The hatchery partners with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Association to raise endangered species of fish native to the Colorado River with the goal of eventually releasing them back into the river. Palisade High School broke ground on the hatchery in April, and students are currently preparing the hatchery for fish.

The first endangered species being raised at the school are razorback suckers. These fish clean the river’s floor, making the environment healthier for other organisms. After being hunted in the 1940s, the dwindling razorback population was not self-sufficient and could not continue to fulfill their role in maintaining the ecosystem.

The Palisade High School Fish Hatchery will be raising and releasing at least 400 razorback suckers into the Colorado River in the coming months. The hatchery receives funding for fish and tanks from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, but all additional funds are raised by students or donated by community organizations.

Students care for fish, run social media, write grants and spread awareness about endangered fish. Students who volunteer learn about environmental conservation, river ecosystems and the effect of humans on the Colorado River.

Originally published in the Winter 2020 issue of Spoke+Blossom.