A project to help restore native brook trout to the Linn Run watershed in the Ligonier area is expected to begin later this year, according to the Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
A plan to restore the stream bank to prevent further erosion along the Fish Run Trail is part of work to bring native brook trout back to the stream. The work focuses on the headwaters section of the seven-mile stream, which flows into Loyalhanna Creek near the Ligonier Township village of Rector.
The restoration must be completed within two years, as required by a $23,000 grant from the Coldwater Heritage Partnership, according to Larry Myers, former president of the Forbes Trail Chapter. The partnership was formed by Trout Unlimited, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds and the state Fish and Boat Commission.
The erosion along the trail has made it dangerous for hikers and nearly impossible for an emergency extraction, Myers said.
He said other eroded sections of the 10-square-mile watershed in the Forbes State Forest and Linn Run State Park will be addressed as funding permits.
The Forbes Trail Chapter received the grant to address problems identified in a conservation plan for Linn Run released in March 2023.
The initial study found a natural release of aluminum from the forest floor and bedrock, which can be toxic to adult fish and fatal to young wild trout, Myers said.
Testing water quality along with electrofishing to study trout that are released and macroinvertebrate surveys will determine the effectiveness of treating the stream’s headwaters. Crushed limestone will be introduced to raise stream’s pH and alkalinity to neutralize the effect of the aluminum.
Tuesday meeting
Trout fishermen and environmentalists will have an opportunity to learn about the overall project during a public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesdayat the Powdermill Natural Reserve, 1795 Route 381, Rector.
Linn Run’s watershed has been adversely impacted by acid rain, a gypsy moth infestation that damaged hardwood trees and severe storms caused by climate change, Myers said.
“Despite the adverse historical impacts, Linn Run today is a healthy, albeit somewhat fragile, stream supporting both stocked and wild trout,” said Myers.
Myers called Linn Run one of the “crown jewels” of the Laurel Highlands.
