Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery facts for kids

The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is a special place in Russell County, Kentucky. It's like a big farm for fish! This hatchery is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Their main job is to raise fish and help protect amazing water animals. It is located right below the Wolf Creek Dam.

What is the Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery?

The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery (NFH) was built in 1975. It's one of the newer fish hatcheries in the country. There are 70 such hatcheries across the United States. Wolf Creek NFH is one of 14 in the Southeast region.

This hatchery raises about 1,000,000 fish every year. These fish include rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout. They work with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Together, they stock fish into over 100 public fishing spots in Kentucky. They do not stock fish in private ponds or lakes.

The hatchery also helps protect rare and endangered animals. They work to save species like the Relict darter, Spotfin chub, and Blackside dace. Many people visit the hatchery each year. Over 100,000 visitors come to learn and explore!

How Does the Hatchery Work?

The hatchery gets its water from Lake Cumberland. The water comes from deep inside the lake. It can be anywhere from 25 to 100 feet below the surface. This keeps the water cool.

The water temperature changes with the seasons. It can be as cold as 40 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. In summer, it might reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The water flows into the hatchery by gravity. It can flow very fast, up to 15,000 gallons every minute!

Learning and Fun at the Hatchery

The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery has a special Visitor and Environmental Education Center. It opened in September 2006. This center was the first of its kind at a national fish hatchery.

It's a super fun place to learn! The center has cool exhibits and a theater. There's also a gift shop. It's a great spot for all visitors, especially school kids. They can learn about fish and nature in an exciting way.

The center also offers many programs and workshops. They have an environmental education plan for teachers. This plan helps schools teach kids about nature. The center gets help from volunteers. It also gets support from a group called Friends of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery, Inc.

Friends of Wolf Creek: Helping Out!

The Friends of Wolf Creek group is very important. They raise money through donations. This money helps pay for all the fun events at the hatchery. They make sure every event is both fun and educational.

Special Events for Everyone

The hatchery hosts many exciting events throughout the year. Here are some of them:

• Catch a Rainbow Kids Fishing Derby: This event happens on the first Saturday in June. It's for kids and lines up with Kentucky's free fishing weekend.
• Catch a Smile event: Held in September, this event is for local school-aged children with special needs.
• Senior Fishing Derby: Also in September, this derby is for senior citizens from local nursing homes.
• Wounded Warrior Fishing Derby: This event, also in September, gives veterans a chance to fish. They can fish in the lake and the trout stream.
• Earth Day event: The hatchery celebrates Earth Day with a full day of activities.
• Craft classes: They offer several fun craft classes.
• Christmas event: A special event is held during the Christmas season.