4 months ago
5
HEBER SPRINGS, Ark. – People who live on the Little Red River in Heber Springs say the wild brown trout population is dying and if something isn’t done soon, it could cost the city millions of dollars in potential revenue.
Right now, temperatures in parts of the river are too hot for the fish to live in and neighbors are calling for help.
Melinda Smith lives along the river and is the local chapter president of Trout Unlimited. She explained how important the river is for the area.
“This river means so much, it has saved a lot of lives, it has entertained a lot of families,” Smith said. “It has been spiritual to some people.”
As temperatures start to rise, that sun beats down on the river. It may not seem like a big deal for anglers and kayakers, but for fish under the water, it’s life or death.
“Trout can’t live like that,” Smith said.
Smith said she has spent years cruising up and down the Little Red River. She called the spot “magical” but as of late, it’s been anything but.
“Every year we’re talking about the same thing that we don’t have cold wa...
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