Officials say the trout population is rebounding on the Batten Kill, a world famous trout stream in southern Vermont.
Cynthia Browning, executive director of the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance, says results from a July census show the number of newly hatched trout has grown from 35 to 75 along a 500-feet of the river.
Browning says the number of yearling trout – a key element to measure the river’s health – has grown 700 percent from 10 to 35 fish in part of the river.
The census was taken to see how well habitat restoration is helping the trout population, which in recent years saw a 70 percent decline.
The effort has included restoring vegetation along the river bank and providing places where small trout can hide from predators.