78 Ame^ncan Fisheries Society 



ground on which the hatchery was built ; it was an alfal- 

 fa field before it was converted into fish ponds. The 

 ground was plowed a foot deep but this did not destroy 

 the gopher burrows as many of them were found to be 

 from sixteen to eighteen inches below the surface. The 

 gophers had also made some holes in the new embank- 

 ments. It became necessary to drain the ponds and to 

 fill them, one, two or three at a time. Digging into the 

 banks and stopping the gopher holes proved more of a 

 task than was expected. After the burrows were located 

 and the banks properly dug away, the holes were stopped 

 by pushing burlap into them, then tramping with dry 

 dirt and finally placing a sack of earth over the hole. It 

 took much time and labor to dig and find the burrows 

 and their many ramifications and to follow them up to 

 places where they could be successfully fixed. It fre- 

 quently happened that there were tunnels that crossed 

 and connected with other tunnels that led from one pond 

 to another. This made it necessary to do a great deal of 

 digging before the leaks could all be plugged. Only about 

 twenty ponds were fixed before it was necessary to turn 

 the water into the entire system. The gopher burrows 

 caused no end of trouble in the ponds where they were 

 not repaired. We hope to have them all repaired before 

 it is time to stock the ponds next spring. If we ever 

 build another system of ponds, we will surely see to it 

 that the gopher burrows are plowed or dug up before 

 any embankments are constructed. 



WAVES CUT NEW BANKS. 



The banks were soft and the March winds caused the 

 waves to cut them badly in places. However, this action 

 of the wind and waves was anticipated and was provided 

 for by having the embankments built plenty wide and 

 about two feet higher in most places than they were to 

 be when finally finished. 



The water was allowed to flow into the ponds until it 

 stood from twelve to twenty-four inches above normal or 

 standard height. The March vdnds caused the waves to 



