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Keeping the Creek flowing and the Brown Trout growing The sound of trickling water, the whistle of the breeze through the trees and various wildlife sightings, all contribute to the quiet and serene setting at the Caledonia Fish Hatchery. What you may not know is that behind the scenes, the delicate process of raising Brown Trout is a seven day a week operation performed by eight full time employees. One of them, Hatchery Manager Alan Mack, often returns to work at night to clear screens and filters of debris from the creek to keep the water free flowing into the hatchery. It goes with the territory of this operation, Mack says, but there is no doubt, he loves his job at the Caledonia Fish Hatchery. "I attended the very first Earth Day. I was in eighth grade and it made a really big impact on me. It somewhat charted my life," Mack commented. Since 1991, he’s been manager of the first hatchery in the Western Hemisphere, established in 1864 by Seth Green, historically named, the father of fish culture. Today, Caledonia is one of 12 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation operated fish hatcheries in New York, producing all of the state’s two year old Brown Trout and stocking fishing waters from Oatka Creek to the Adirondack and Long Island regions. Think of it as a sort of kennel for Brown Trout rather than dogs. Visitors to the hatchery find pools of fish from yearlings to two year olds that are 14-15 inches in length and weigh about one pound. The routine tasks for hatchery workers include feeding the fish, cleaning the screens in their tanks and collection and removal of the fish waste. These routine tasks may sound simple enough, but remember, there are over 100,000 fish to care for in addition to all of the maintenance and transportation issues that are part of their work. Mack says the job varies with the season and some seasons are much busier than others. Spring and fall are busy stocking seasons. The Caledonia Fish Hatchery is a key component of a multi-million dollar fishing industry and the work there is much more complex than most people would imagine it to be. So much has changed since 1864 yet so much is exactly the same. It’s all made possible by the gravity flow of the natural fresh water springs, known as the Big Springs and Spring Creek that produce the year round mild water temperature, perfect for raising fish. Mack says about 5,000 to 6,000 gallons of water flow into the hatchery every minute. This summer’s lack of rain is worrisome to Mack. "The whole operation depends on flow. I’m out here at night checking the low water levels. Twice (in 17 years at Caledonia) I've seen the stream (at the hatchery) completely dry up," Mack explained. The condition of the spring water remains good, Mack said, despite the LeHigh Valley RR spill in the mid-1970’s that left the carcinogenic TCE seeping through the aquifer just west of the hatchery. There is still much to be concerned about regarding the safety and purity of the spring water that feeds the hatchery. Cilion, Inc., a California based company, has made an application to the Town of Caledonia for permission to construct and operate a corn produced ethanol plant at the Commodity Resource Agribusiness site on Rt. 5 west. Cilion is in the process of answering public concerns noted in the draft environmental impact study. There is no word on when Cilion will complete their response but Mack is watching the case closely. "The greatest threat to this water supply is the proposed ethanol plant in the Town of Caledonia," Mack said. Plans for the ethanol plant included onsite chemical and diesel storage tanks, which Mack says are serious threat to Spring Creek because they would be located directly on the delicate aquifer whose characteristic limestone fissures would serve as vehicle to transport any leaked contaminant downstream to Spring Creek. The Caledonia Fish Hatchery is a popular attraction for visiting families, groups and anglers. From the casual fisherman looking to relax and throw in his line to the sophisticated fly fisherman, Spring Creek attracts anglers from across the state and well beyond. Mack dedicates a fishing area for those with physical limitations. It is regularly visited by veterans groups and others facing physical challenges that would prevent them from accessing traditional fishing areas. Mack says he is very conscious of the historical significance of the hatchery and in particular, the Big Springs and their role in the development of Caledonia as a community. He tries to convey that history to hatchery visitors in his tours and in the brochures that are available inside the gazebo. The hatchery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided group tours are available by appointment.
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