The 77-year-old Albert M. Powell fish hatchery in Washington County is due for a major overhaul. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is embarking on a comprehensive renovation of the Albert Powell Fish Hatchery, in partnership with the Department of General Services.
This project is a critical part of the state’s commitment to recreational angling. Renovations will modernize the Hagerstown facility, adding a new hatchery building to allow DNR to raise more and healthier trout. It will also update the hatchery’s supporting infrastructure, such as electrical and water circulation systems.
The $15 million capital improvement project, funded by the Natural Resources Development Fund and critical maintenance funding, is set to begin March 2, 2026, and is estimated to be completed in the spring of 2028.
“When completed, this will be a state-of-the art trout hatchery to support Maryland’s recreational anglers and the multi-billion dollar recreational fishing economy in Maryland,” said Eric Luedtke, Director of Capital Projects.
Specific improvements will include adding a water recirculation system, ultraviolet treatment and filtration systems, upgraded wastewater treatment, a new hatch building, and modernized supporting infrastructure, such as electrical, security, office space, and a visitor center.
The future visitor center will offer a lobby complete with a fish aquarium and educational displays where the public and school groups will be able to enjoy and learn about trout, the habitats they occupy, the purpose and operation of the hatchery, and how license fees and trout stamps support Maryland’s trout stocking program.
Operations and stocking from the hatchery will continue during construction, though public visitation will be by appointment only.
Golden trout swim in a raceway at the Albert Powell hatchery. Maryland DNR photo.
Located in Hagerstown, Albert Powell is the largest of four Maryland trout hatcheries and is named after a former superintendent of hatcheries. Some of its infrastructure dates to the original construction in 1949.
The water used at the hatchery is supplied by a spring that averages 3,400 gallons per minute and is considered the second-largest spring in Maryland. However, during dry periods, the spring can experience low flow conditions that directly affect hatchery operations and capacity.
Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are a popular technology that recirculates “used” water from the bottom of the facility back through UV treatment and filters to the top of the facility to be used again.
“Installing the RAS system will enable us to increase fish size and survival when water resources are limited and declining,” said DNR Coldwater Production Program Manager Greg Anderson. “This upgrade will improve water quality, increase biosecurity, reduce densities, and improve growth rates.”
Project planners have paid special attention to the water quality of effluent, or wastewater, leaving the facility to ensure the survival of aquatic life downstream, including a population of wild brown trout.
The coldwater hatcheries produce approximately 270,000 adult rainbow, golden rainbow, and brown trout annually to meet the demands of the Put and Take Trout Stocking Program. The improvements are expected to increase the production of adult trout for this program by approximately 37%, as well as increase the numbers and flexibility in producing juvenile trout for other management purposes.
Angling is a vital part of Maryland’s outdoor recreation economy. Recreational anglers in Maryland spend around half a billion dollars a year and support about 5,000 jobs. Angler Preference Survey (Knoche, 2016) estimated that 39% of all freshwater anglers in Maryland participated in the Put and Take Trout Stocking Program.
To meet the demand, DNR has introduced an enhanced stocking program for 2026, with a 26% increase in stocked trout, monthly schedule, and allocation adjustments to enhance their experience and catch rates
Fishing licenses, as well as tackle, boat, and marine fuel purchases, fund DNR’s fish conservation work. Fishing licenses can be purchased online through MD Outdoors or in person at license agent locations.
