Marble Bluff Fish Passage Facility

The Marble Bluff Fish Passage Facility is located near the terminus of the Truckee River , approximately 4.8 km (3 miles) upstream of Pyramid Lake .  It was constructed in 1976 to provide grade control for the lower Truckee River and to move migrating fish upriver. Part of the Lahontan National Fish Hatchery Complex, the facility is operated by Nevada Fisheries Resource Office (NFRO) biologists to aid the spawning of the endangered cui-ui, threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout, and Tahoe sucker from Pyramid Lake. These fish are no longer able to access their old spawning grounds because of the changes in the lake's elevation over the last century. The facility consists of four major components: Marble Bluff Dam, fish lock, fishway and fish handling building.

The fish lock is a 40 foot deep chamber that fills with water and allows fish to migrate over the dam without being lifted out of the water. In 2005, NFRO biologists were able to move approximately 2,500 cui-ui during a five minute set. The fish lock is a fully automated system but requires round the clock staffing during cui-ui season.

NFRO biologists are able to sample a small portion the fish as they move though the lock. This sampling helps biologists determine the overall health, size, and sex of the species as they make their way up the river to spawn.

Current activities at the facility include the development of an incubation system for Lahontan cutthroat trout eggs in the fish handling building. This system allows newly hatched trout to be raised in and imprinted with water from the Truckee River . In 2007 (the first year of operation) the incubation system produced approximately 28,400 Lahontan cutthroat trout fry, which were stocked into upstream tributaries of the Truckee River .

The Marble Bluff Fish Passage Facility is operated in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The facility is open to the public during the spawning season (March through early June). To schedule a tour, please call (775) 861-6300.