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Fish Rescue at Buffalo Trace Distillery

In April 2025, Frankfort, Kentucky, experienced a near-record flood, with the Kentucky River cresting less than one inch below the historic 1978 flood level. During such highwater events, the river’s main channel currents become extremely swift, prompting local fish populations to seek refuge in backwater areas where the current is less intense. As the floodwaters recede, fish can become trapped in low-lying areas and pools that retain the last remnants of water on what would typically be dry land. 

One such pool, containing trapped fish, was located at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The distillery invited Kentucky State University’s Aquaculture program to relocate the fish back to their natural habitat in the Kentucky River. The pool was situated nearly a quarter mile from the riverbank. KSU utilized this opportunity as a sampling event to identify fish species that migrated far from the river and to potentially source wild-type genetics. The KSU aquaculture team employed seine net techniques to gather the remaining fish and transfer them into a hauling truck. The collected fish biomass totaled nearly 100 pounds and included three game species, four non-game species, and various minnow species. The fish were successfully relocated back to the Kentucky River. 

The largest fish rescued was, ironically, an impressive Bigmouth Buffalo, a perfect symbol of the resilience of the local ecosystem after a tragic natural disaster. This successful cooperative effort between Buffalo Trace Distillery and Kentucky State University highlights the commitment to preserving the local fish population and contributing to the health of the Kentucky River ecosystem.