Home Run Pond Drawdown Proposed To Revive Fishery

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries staff are planning to drawdown Home Run Pond in Glasgow to revive the fishery. A Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project is currently out for public comment.

Home Run Pond was constructed over 20 years ago, primarily as a kid’s fishing pond. While the City of Glasgow owns the pond and surrounding property of Sullivan Park, the fisheries resources are managed by FWP as a “put-grow-take” rainbow trout fishery with a management goal of achieving high angler catch rates.

High-water events in 2011 and 2023 allowed for connectivity between the Milk River and Home Run Pond, resulting in numerous undesirable species (common carp, black bullhead) to become established. Additionally, some yellow perch have become established, likely as a result of illegal introduction.

“Recently, survival of rainbow trout in Home Run Pond has been poor, primarily due to degraded water quality and competition from undesirable species,” says Jared Krebs, FWP fisheries biologist. “Despite these rainbow trout die-offs, common carp and black bullhead have been able to persist, further reducing the productivity of the fishery.”

The proposed project would drawdown Home Run Pond by pumping water out of the pond and back into the Milk River. The water level would be reduced to a minimum pool level that would not allow the remaining fish to survive over winter. Additionally, staff will attempt to remove any refuse or debris in the pond.

This proposed drawdown would begin in November 2023. Home Run Pond would remain at minimum pool (near-empty) until spring 2024, where it will be refilled with the existing well (or alternate water sources) to full pool and stocked with hatchery-reared rainbow trout .

“The ultimate goal of this proposed project is to improve rainbow trout survival and increase angler catch rates,” adds Krebs, “Hopefully, this proposed project will ensure that Home Run Pond continues to provide a great fishery for the community to enjoy.”

FWP is proposing this project with the support of the City of Glasgow, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Hi-Line Sportsmen, and other stakeholders within the Glasgow community.

The full draft EA can be found here: https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2023/oct/1004-home-run-pond-drawdown-and-fish-removal-draft-ea

The draft EA is open to public comment from through Nov. 2. To comment on this EA, you can mail comments to Jared Krebs at 1 Airport Road, Glasgow, MT 59230, or email Krebs at [email protected].