Trout Unlimited has been involved in an ambitious project to restore Rio Grande
cutthroat to 120 stream miles in the upper Rio Costilla drainage.

This project involves several parties, including Vermejo Park Ranch, Rio Costilla Park, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Interstate Stream Commission, the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

In 2006, the Truchas Chapter was awarded a $102,000 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for this project.

In June of 2007, the barrier on Comache Creek was successfully installed to protect the upper reaches from non-native fish. In August, the NM Department of Game and Fish, the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service treated part of Comanche Creek to remove non-natives, including 15,000+ non-native white sucker. In June of 2009 Rio Grande Cutts were stocked out into Comanche Creek, and the stream is once again open for fishing.

For several years, the Truchas Chapter has participated in work weekends, along with
New Mexico Trout, the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation and the Quivera Coalition to do habitat work on the degraded sections of Comanche Creek, including cattle exclosures to prevent bank damage and siltation, and in-stream vanes to induce meander. With the removal of the huge numbers of non-native suckers, combined with this habitat work, it is our hope that the creek will become a very good native fishery fairly soon.

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