The United Anglers of Casa Grande High School wanted to know why Steelhead and Chinook salmon no longer swam up their local stream to spawn. In fact, these fish species had not reproduced in the upper reaches of Adobe Creek for about 35-40 years. The California Department of Fish and Game had already declared Adobe Creek as a "dead stream". Instead of giving up on what many believed to be a lost cause, these students decided to take action. The students spoke to congressional committees and began to acquire the knowledge and skills that would be required to resurrect their stream.

After a number of fund raising events, the students had raised around $510,000. With this money, they refurbished an abandoned greenhouse on school property and converted it into a fish hatchery. After removing years of discarded trash and debris, they planted over 1200 trees per year along the banks of the stream. The trees would provide the shade necessary to maintain the proper levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. After five years of planting trees, all of the student's work was destroyed in just a few days. A new public works project required the bulldozing of all those trees. Although discouraged, they did not give up. They began to plant trees again and even began stocking the stream with the nearly 7,000 fish that they had raised in their hatchery.

Soon, they faced yet another huge challenge. A routine inspection of the school property found the greenhouse not to be in compliance with the state's earthquake building codes. So their hatchery had to be dismantled. However, once again, the students did not give in. They raised money once again and were able to build a 32,000 square foot hatchery facility. It is the only student run hatchery in the lower 48 states.

Students have now begun to witness the fruits of all their labor. Currently, around 50 Steelhead and 300 Chinook salmon are now spawning in the steam. This project has received great exposure through 5 documentaries on ESPN and one on P.B.S. The Adobe Creek Restoration Project has also been featured and recognized by Reader's Digest, the L.A. Times, Jane Goodall's "Roots and Shoots" program and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The project has received two science awards from the California School Board Association and is a two-time winner of the Chevron USA's Conservation and Renew America Award.

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute had the following statement, "The Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) is proud to align itself with the United Anglers of Casa Grande High School. The Adobe Creek Restoration Project, developed by the students and their teacher-advisor Tom Furrer, combines habitat restoration efforts with the creation of a student-run fish hatchery to hasten the recovery of depleted fish populations. This project embodies the "solutions through science" approach embraced by HSWRI, and demonstrates the power of public and private partnerships among local, state and federal agencies and individuals."