These lakes often have high productivity rates during the summer but over the entire year are relatively unproductive.

[3] This results in widely varying fish populations across the alpine lakes in Washington.

However, a common trait of alpine trout is possessing a head disproportionately large in comparison to the body.

When this trait is observed it is a direct reflection of low productivity in the lake, as the fish is not able to find enough food to support body growth or size equivalent to that of its head.

Each time, once in 2001, 2005, and 2009, about 15,000 fish consisting of a mix of rainbow and cutthroat trout were deposited in the lake.