State wildlife officials have announced the discovery of the whirling disease parasite in brown, cutthroat, rainbow and brook trout and whitefish in the Duchesne River in Duchesne County.
Positive samples were taken three miles downstream from Tabiona and at the confluence of the West and North Forks of the Duchesne. The infected portion of the Duchesne River is dominated by brown trout, one of the most resistant of the trout and salmon impacted by the disease.
Although samples taken last fall on the West Fork of the Duchesne came back negative, there is still the possibility the whirling disease has now found its way into an important population of pure strain Colorado cutthroat trout which live there.
Even more alarming is the possibility that, through a series Central Utah Water Project diversions, the trout disease could be spread to the state's most popular fishery: Strawberry Reservoir.
Source: Santa Barbara News-Press
Whirling disease spreads to Duchesne trout
SALT LAKE CITY - Whirling disease, the trout malady that deforms and kills trout, continues its slow but methodical spread across Utah.