Fred Reimherr

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER:

Fred was born in New York and learned to fish after moving to Pennsylvania in his youth. During medical school, Fred took a trip out West and was so hooked on its beauty that he moved to Utah for an internship in pediatrics after medical school and then accepted a residency position with the University of Utah School of Medicine Psychiatry Department.

Fred was a professor, and he was licensed to practice psychiatry in both Utah and Wyoming, the latter for his work with indigenous communities on the Wind River Reservation.

STONEFLY SOCIETY CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED:

Fred helped found the Stonefly Society chapter of Trout Unlimited in the late 70’s and was on its board for most its existence until his untimely passing in 2022.  Fred taught many fly fishers how to improve their skills. Fred was an experienced fly fisher and readily shared this joy with friends and family.

Fred was also a founding member of the Utah Outdoor Interests Coordinating Council (UOICC) which brought environmental leaders together to monitor the completion of the enormous Central Utah Project. Fred was an expert in all things CUP, and was instrumental in the Mitigation Commission’s continued funding.

CONSERVATION:

Fred was known for his extensive work in water conservation, arguably his true passion. Fred advocated for incorporating the goals of water conservation and environmental protection into federal and state water law. He was especially passionate about instream flows, proclaiming that, “A certain part of the water needs to belong to the river.” His efforts have helped protect many Utah rivers, including the Diamond Fork River, the Duchesne, Strawberry River below Strawberry Reservoir, the Lake Fork River below Moon Lake, the Price River, the Provo River, and others.

Fred worked for many years with officials in Carbon County to thwart the ill-conceived Gooseberry Narrows Project, which would have dewatered upper Fish Creek above Scofield Reservoir and caused ecological damage throughout the Price River drainage. He believed firmly that Utah could thrive economically without wasting its resources—natural and monetary—on costly, unnecessary water projects.

Fred took interest in and advocated for the water rights of indigenous tribes in the Uinta basin, and he would take pride in recent recognition of those water rights by government officials.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Fred was recognized for his conservation efforts, and he was awarded the Bob Trowbridge Award given by Trout Unlimited in appreciation and recognition of Fred’s “efforts to preserve, restore, and protect the waters of Utah.”