In South Carolina's upstate rivers rush cold and clear over ancient bedrock, carving their way through steep valleys and shaded forest.

This is the Savannah River basin.

With its winding tributaries and rugged landscape, these waters are a breathing lifeline for an array of wildlife, from mussels buried in the sand to crayfish beneath stones.

Each depends on the health of this river system.

Among these currents lives a fish recently distinguished as its own unique species, the Bartrams bass.

Today, conservationists and researchers are working to uncover its story.

From studying and capturing populations to conducting careful lab research, ensuring that this native fish and the river it depend on will endure for generations to come, in the wild.

Bartrams bass represents one of the only three native black bass species in South Carolina.

It was originally believed to be another population of one of its closest relatives, the red-eye bass.

Some of its strongest populations occur in the Chattooga and Chauga rivers.

The species reaches its highest densities in rocky shoals, where bedrock and boulders create pockets and pools.

After decades of collaborative research and through genetic analysis, Bartrams was officially identified as his own distinct species in September of 2025.

Even with this recognition, Bartrams can be difficult to identify, mainly due to another bass species, The invasive Alabama bass.

Believed to be introduced to South Carolina for sport fishing, The Alabama bass actively breed with Bartrams, creating hybrids that blur the genetic lines of this rare species.

This introgressive hybridization is in some areas replacing entire populations.

Now more than ever, protecting the integrity of this unique bass species is essential to safeguarding its future and maintaining the natural heritage of South Carolina's rivers.

A productive collaboration between SCDNR and Clemson University's Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation has become central to understanding Bartrams Bass.

Together, researchers are investigating the species from every angle, studying its nesting ecology, measuring the integrity of this habitat, and tracking how non-native bass and their hybrids move from reservoirs into river systems that remain strongholds for Bartrams Bass.

Wading into the current, SCDNRs stream team turns research into action.

Through the rushing rivers of the upstate, they work hands on to protect and monitor native fish populations, as well as identify and monitor populations of Bartrams Bass.

Using electric fishing gear, they briefly stun fish so they can be carefully collected and examined.

Back on shore, biologists record measurements, document habitat conditions, and clip a small piece of thin from each fish before releasing it back into the current.

This quick procedure leaves the fish unharmed, but provides scientists with the genetic key to confirm whether it is a pure Bartrams bass or a hybrid.

These vials are taken to SCDNRs Marine Resources Center in Charleston.

Here the work continues.

DNA is cleaned and isolated, sometimes with the help of precision robotics.

Then amplified by a laboratory technique that makes millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA segment.

A machine separates the fragments, producing a visual genetic barcode.

Scientists then compare these results against a library of known species, providing a definitive identification.

Each sample adds to a larger understanding of Bartrams Bass, its distribution, genetic integrity, and the ongoing efforts to preserve this distinctive species across South Carolina's rivers.

With Bartrams Bass finally recognizes its own species, the work to secure its future has just begun.

Researchers and conservationists can now focus on the next step protecting its habitat, combating hybridization, and ensuring that this unique fish continues to thrive in South Carolina's wild rivers.