Since the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy fire, the Gila National Forest and many external partners have worked closely together to restore the Willow Creek watershed, part of the headwaters of the Gila River and a vital recovery area for the threatened Gila trout. (USDA Forest Service video by Elizabeth Hemphill)

High in the Gila National Forest, the scars of the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire still linger. However, while the scars left behind by the fire may run deep, the spirit of resilience runs even deeper. No place embodies that well-spring of resilience like Willow Creek.

Originating on the east side of the Mogollon Mountains and traveling east to its confluence with the Gilita Creek, Willow Creek serves as one of the many headwater streams for the Gila River, a vital artery to the area. It’s also vital habitat for an iconic but threatened trout species in the region. Recognizing its significance, a diverse coalition of government agencies and non-profit organizations have united to restore Willow Creek to its former glory days from before the fire’s ravages.  

Restoration is Personal

For John Pierson, Willow Creek is more than just a place; it represents different chapters in life. He first ventured into the area when he was five or six years old, and his childhood memories would be echoed when he returned later with a family of his own, where his oldest son caught his first fish.  

“This little piece of the world known as Willow Creek is near and dear to my heart,” he said fondly. “As one of the few stream systems on the forest people can drive to and potentially catch a Gila trout, my vision as an individual and as a ranger has always been getting this beautiful spot back to what I remember as a kid to provide an opportunity for all to enjoy. I’m continually going to be an advocate for fisheries in this area for as long as God lets me stay on this planet.”

However, years later, as the reserve district ranger for the USDA Forest Service, a different chapter in John’s life unfolded: battling the Whitewater-Baldy Fire as an incident commander.

A product of two separate lightning-caused fires that merged in May 2012, the Whitewater-Baldy Fire was, at the time, the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history, burning over 297,000 acres. The fire’s extreme behavior and the rugged terrain made it challenging for suppression efforts by firefighters, forcing the evacuation of several communities, including Willow Creek ranch residents.  

Willow Creek suffered tremendous damage, with 65%-80% of the area burning at high intensity. This destruction changed the watershed by causing the creek to become wider and plugged with sediment, as well as lose plants along the banks of the stream that helped regulate water temperature. The devastation to Willow Creek was particularly alarming due to its critical role in supporting the Gila trout recovery. While emergency restoration efforts including aerial seeding and mulching immediately followed the fire, the need to restore still continues today.  

The Gila Trout: A Rare Southwestern Fan Favorite

Like John Pierson, Jim Brooks, a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife fish biologist and now private contractor for Trout Unlimited, is no stranger to Willow Creek, where as a child, he and his father spent many days fishing, hunting and mule riding. Fast forward to his days as a federal agency biologist responsible for Gila trout recovery. After countless hours spent in the Gila, both personally and professionally, Jim’s deep connection to the Gila can’t be denied.  

“When I retired in 2014, I didn't retire from the Gila, just from working for a federal agency,” he commented. “Since then, my passion for Willow Creek and the Gila has only grown and given me focus on my mission in life. The Gila is the center of the universe for me. I'm not going anywhere.”

One of Brooks’ main focuses, both with Trout Unlimited and in his personal passions, is the Gila trout, one of the Southwest’s rare native trout. It can only be found in specific, high-elevation areas straddling the Arizona and New Mexico border, making it a fan favorite on the Gila National Forest.  

However, that fan favorite is under threat. Over the years, the Gila trout has faced numerous challenges, including habitat loss, fires, overfishing and competition from non-native species. The trout was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1973.  

Concentrated efforts have been taken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Game and Fish, Arizona Game and Fish, and the Forest Service over the past few decades to restore Gila trout populations. These efforts proved to be successful and in 2006, the Gila trout was moved from endangered to threatened.  

However, the Whitewater-Baldy Fire impacted nearly half of the existing Gila trout streams, which now require major restoration work so all the efforts to restore the Gila trout do not go to waste.

Making it Happen

While the Gila trout is undoubtedly cherished by anglers and Southwesterners, the significance of the project work represents a deeper story—one of connection between humans and water. As the headwaters of the Gila River, Willow Creek plays a critical role in supporting downstream communities. The Gila River provides essential water resources for agriculture, recreation and potentially municipal use through parts of New Mexico and Arizona, so restoring Willow Creek is essential to ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of the water in the region.  

However, the damage to the watershed was significant and restoring any ecosystem is a complex undertaking.  

Collaboration between committed partners is a crucial step in the current phase of restoration work, with organizations like the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Environment Department, San Francisco Soil and Water Conservation District, Trout Unlimited and the Forest Service all collaborating to improve Willow Creek.  

Jeff Shearer, resources staff officer for the Gila National Forest, describes what he sees as the stars aligning to make this work happen.  

“The timing worked out with our partners coming to the table with a variety of funding sources. The Inflation Reduction Act certainly played a large role in that. The remote nature of the location and what it takes to get the work done makes it pretty expensive. I don't know that any of this would have been possible without a multitude of partners pitching in and offering to cover stretches of the project work.”  

“Willow Creek is a complex system,” agreed Dan Trujillo, a Gila trout biologist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “It’s not just one creek that goes up into the wilderness, it actually has several tributaries that contribute to the Gila trout recovery efforts in addition to making this area an excellent angling destination.”  

“The agency finds it very important to help revitalize the area, and we’ve been working since the Whitewater-Baldy Fire to help achieve that goal,” he continued. “We contributed three million of Habitat Stamp Program dollars on this restoration project.”

Approximately 7.2 miles of impaired stream miles encompassing 9,600 acres will be improved or restored, with much of the work concentrating on restoring native vegetation and increasing food sources to encourage beaver activity.  

Blue-stem willow is the primary species that is being used in riparian planting. They are abundant, easy to grow, and grow quickly. Once fully established, they will provide shade over the stream to cool water temperatures. Having abundant riparian shading is critical to maintaining cooler water temperatures for Gila trout and other native aquatic species. The willows will also serve as a way to “lock” the stream banks in place, preventing erosion, and will buffer the impacts of flooding, which is common following damaging wildfires.

Willows serve another important piece in the restoration puzzle: they are the primary food source for beavers in southwestern New Mexico. One of the goals for the Willow Creek project is to re-establish beaver populations on Willow Creek and its tributaries, such as Little Turkey Creek, which is part of the latest project area. Why? Beavers and their dam building habits are far better at restoring stream channels and habitat complexity than humans ever could be.  

“This isn't just a piecemeal project, but as the result of this, when we wrap it up in a couple years, we'll have the entire watershed put back to its pre-fire state with a diversity of habitat and a self-sustaining Gila trout population,” said Shearer.

Restoring Willow Creek benefits the Gila River, Gila trout and the overall watershed. Whether it’s improved water quality and flow, more fishing opportunities or irrigating crops to put food on the table, the work accomplished here has a ripple effect all the way downstream.