Trevor Pitcher, director of the University of Windsor's Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre, climbs into a water intake well at an Enwin Utilities water treatment facility to rescue a stranded sturgeon.
Researchers from the University’s new Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre jumped into action Friday after a lake sturgeon made its way into an intake pipe at a local water treatment plant.
Trevor Pitcher, director of the newly opened research facility, said he was contacted by Enwin Utilities after workers discovered the sturgeon swimming in one of its water intake pools.
“Enwin called the University after seeing the story about the research centre and so we ran over there to help,” Dr. Pitcher said.
Pitcher and two students rushed to the A.H. Weeks Water Treatment facility on Wyandotte Street East.
“I had to climb down into the pit that was about 18 feet deep, 12 feet of just water,” he said. “We lassoed it, put it in a cooler and then placed it back in the river.”
Pitcher said the sturgeon was about 5.5 feet (167 cm) in length, 70 to 80 pounds (30-35 kg) and appeared to be in perfect health.
But Pitcher said the sturgeon may have met an untimely demise had it not been discovered.
The Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre officially opened on May 24 and specializes in the study of restoring damaged ecosystems, invasive species biology and water quality.