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Lehardy rapids

United States of America

Lehardy rapids

Located on the Yellowstone River, the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States, LeHardys Rapids is a notable natural feature within Yellowstone National Park. The rapids are part of the river's dynamic flow, and their periodic rise and fall appears to control the outflow of Yellowstone

Lake, leading some scientists to consider this spot the geologic northern boundary of the lake. This makes the rapids not just a scenic viewpoint but a key hydrological and geological marker within the park's landscape. The area is especially significant for its connection to Yellowstone cutthroat trout, the most widespread native trout of the park and the dominant fish species here prior to Euroamerican settlement. In spring, visitors might be fortunate enough to see these trout leaping upstream as they migrate to spawn. Yellowstone cutthroat trout require cold, clean water and typically spawn in rivers or streams from early May through mid-July. Their diet consists mainly of aquatic insects such as mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, along with other small aquatic animals, terrestrial insects that fall into the water, and occasionally smaller fish, fish eggs, small rodents, frogs, algae, and plankton. These trout are a vital food source for an estimated 20 species of birds and mammals, including bears, river otters, and mink. The history of cutthroat trout management at LeHardys Rapids and throughout Yellowstone reflects broader conservation efforts. In the 1960s, fisheries m

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