HatcHERy — the Women of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Fish Hatcheries: Desiree Powell

Editor’s Note: This is a seven-part series from Colorado Parks and Wildlife celebrating the women dedicated to improving Colorado’s fish populations at CPW’s fish hatcheries. 

Meet Desiree Powell. The Assistant Manager at Rifle Falls Fish hatchery, she has been with Colorado Parks and Wildlife since 1997. Desiree loves that her career allows her to live out her passion for the outdoors every single day. A natural leader, she thrives teaching her colleagues the ins and outs of hatchery work — from feeding fish and driving commercial-sized trucks, to delivering fish across the state. As the Assistant Manager at one of the largest fish hatcheries in Colorado, Desiree helps coordinate the stocking of over 800,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout and close to 4 million fingerling (the juvenile stage of fish that are four to six inches in length) trout annually. So the next time you reel in a fish along the I-70 corridor from Denver to Utah, chances are you can thank Desiree and her team for that great catch.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) employs 81 people across 19 fish hatcheries — seven of whom are women. CPW’s fish hatcheries stock nearly 90 million fish into Colorado’s waterways each year, supporting the state’s recreational fishing opportunities. This work is also critical to native fish recovery and conservation efforts, a responsibility CPW’s hatchery staff have proudly upheld since 1881.

From spawning fish eggs to leading school tours, driving fish stocking trucks and hauling fish-filled backpacks on multi-mile backcountry treks, CPW hatchery staff work across the state to sustain Colorado’s fish populations. The job requires knowledge of aquatic and fish biology, a love of the outdoors, grit and a sturdy pair of waders. While not everyone possesses all these qualities, CPW is fortunate to have these women who do.

Desiree shared some words of wisdom and reflection after her years working to get Colorado’s fish ready for a catchable moment during a Q&A:

What inspired you to begin working for a fish hatchery? 

I always wanted to be able to work outdoors. I loved camping and fishing as a child. I also had a love for animals. I wanted to work closely with frogs but there were no real jobs directly associated with frogs. So fish was the next best thing.

Tell us about your career journey

I started at the Area 7 office. I was still in college working toward a degree in Biology of Agriculture. I had no clue what I wanted to do for a living. I knew I wanted to work outdoors and with animals.

The summer I landed a seasonal position with CPW in Grand Junction for a researcher, I knew I hit the lottery. Even though I was mainly working with fish doing creel surveys. I was able to go around the state looking for boreal toads on several occasions. This was fascinating and I couldn’t believe I was earning a paycheck having so much fun outdoors. We also did reservoir surveys sampling mysis and daphnia, small invertebrates that the fish use as food. This was super cool because we were out on a boat in the middle of the night. That was all in one summer — the summer I found my passion. 

The following year, that researcher recommended me to Anita Martinez, the fishery biologist working on fish reclamation for the Recovery Program.  Her job was to try and remove non-native fish populations to help protect endangered fishes of the Colorado River. She kept me busy for six years full time. After that project ended I had all the experience needed to apply to the hatcheries. They picked me up, and I have been here ever since, working outdoors and resupplying the state with rainbow trout every year.

What excites you about your work at Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery?

As I have been here 26 years I have learned that I am good at helping my coworkers get the job done as efficiently as possible. Now that I am the Assistant Manager at Rifle that is literally my job. I make plans and schedules for hauling fish every week. I make sure the crew has all they need to get the job done. I love it!

What unique contributions do women bring to the workplace?

Women bring a lot to the table. We think differently and present different solutions to all problems.  We are typically more compassionate when it comes to health and safety to the unit. Women possess an eye for detail to make the facility tidy for the public eye and safer for employees.

What drives your passion for continuing to work with fish?

I have learned so much working for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The number one skill I possessed when hired was confidence and being outspoken, voicing my desire to learn more skills. I have always been fairly confident and eager to learn new skills. This was helpful not being timid or afraid to learn something NEW.

What would you like to see in the future for Colorado Parks and Wildlife?

I would like to see more women being hired full time. I have been here a long time and there have never been more than seven full time women working for the hatchery section. Out of 87 employees we barely count for 10%.

What is something most people don’t know about your work?

The one thing the public doesn’t realize is that a big trout will eat smaller trout. The reason we need hatcheries is due to predation on fish in general. Trout parents will eat their own eggs.

What do you want to communicate to other women who may be interested in working at a fish hatchery? 

If you love the great state of COLORADO and are looking for a fun, challenging and rewarding career. Apply now! You will travel the whole state by delivering fish and you can learn something new and go home exhausted every day.  Literally you won’t have to join a gym ever,  if you work for the hatchery section.

Written by Sarah Gump. Photos by Sarah Gump. Sarah is a Hatchery Technician III at Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Durango Fish Hatchery.