While many people have heard of the Gunnison River that flows through the Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge, not many people have heard the story of the Gunnison River Rainbow. The story of how, following the accidental introduction of whirling disease in 1993, these rainbows went from nearly 10,000 fish in a 2-mile stretch of river to only 86 fish a decade later. However, in recent years these fish have started to make a strong comeback. The resurgence of the Gunnison River Rainbow serves as a beacon of hope for other fisheries around North America that are feeling the impact of whirling disease.
