Quartz Creek fish passage barrier completed

Construction of a fish barrier to protect native fish in Glacier National Park’s Quartz Lake was recently completed.

The fish barrier is located about six miles from the nearest trailhead and lies between Lower and Middle Quartz lakes on the west side of the Park in the North Fork valley. The project took seven days to complete.

“Completion of this project represents a significant step in our continued native fish conservation efforts in the Quartz Creek drainage,” said Park superintendent Chas Cartwright.

Park officials say Quartz Creek’s remote location made the project a challenge. Park workers used hand tools to construct the barrier in the backcountry.

Quartz Lake is home to some of the strongest remaining migratory bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout populations remaining on the west side of the park. A fish passage barrier was partially constructed in 2004 to keep lake trout out of Quartz Lake, but lake trout were subsequently detected in the lake in 2005.

Park officials halted construction of the barrier until lake trout status and removal options could be better assessed. A National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey cooperative experimental lake trout suppression project was initiated in 2009.

An environmental analysis was conducted and released for public comment in February 2012. After review of environmental impacts and public comment, no significant impact was found and the National Park Service Intermountain regional director signed a record of decision in May 2012 to move forward on the project.

Planning and completion of the fish barrier project was supported by the Glacier National Park Fund and Flathead Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Park officials are considering other native fish conservation projects in the North Fork drainage. Planning is underway for a fish passage barrier on Akokala Creek and for additional lake trout suppression efforts on Quartz and Logging lakes.