When all is said and done, the upper reaches of Hermosa Creek, north of Durango, will have the largest continuous stretch of native Colorado River cutthroat trout in the state.
Wading through the shallow waters Jim White, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Pete Deren, aquatic technician, of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jim White, left, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A few Colorado cutthroat were the only fish that Jim White, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, found in a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek on Tuesday while shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jim White, right, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The east fork of Hermosa Creek can narrow down to a few feet or go 30-feet wide as Jim White, left, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jim White, right, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Ducking down under trees in search of fish Jim White, front, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A few Colorado cutthroat including this small fry were the only fish that Jim White, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, found in a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek while shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Forest Service biologists took water samples in the east fork of Hermosa Creek to see if any brook trout DNA is present in the water after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Climbing up and around, Jim White, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, find lots of obstacles to climb over and through on a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek while shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jim White, left, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, search the deep pools of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Searching every pocket of water, Jim White, right, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, both with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, walk a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
With dense stands of willows and trees across the creek, Jim White, aquatic biologist, and Pete Deren, aquatic technician, of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, find lots of obstacles to climb over and through on a section of the east fork of Hermosa Creek while shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Jim White, aquatic biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, works his way through heavy brush on the east fork of Hermosa Creek shocking the water looking to see if any brook trout have survived after using an organic poison to kill the fish in 2016. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
