Desert Trout: Extreme temperatures and desert-like conditions haven't stopped production at this long-lived Arizona trout facility

摘要

Any place within 100 miles (161 Km) of Phoenix, Arizona seems an unlikely site for a trout hatchery. Geographically savvy readers may say, "Wait a minute, there are some pretty high mountains in Arizona; maybe that's where this hatchery is located." But no, that is not the answer; the Page Springs State Trout Hatchery is in a valley and its elevation is only 3500 feet (-1000 m). Moreover, it gets very warm in this valley with temperatures approaching 100°F (~38°C) in summer. The Page Springs area can be considered an oasis, not as warm as Phoenix, but hotter than most locations where trout hatcheries are found. A second name of the hatchery provides an essential clue about its location. Some Arizonans refer to the Page Springs hatchery as Big Spring hatchery.