REGARDING FISHWAYS AND DAMS 



By L. L. Dyche 



Section 23 of the Kansas iish and game law (chapter 

 198, Laws of 1911) provides that "no dam or other ob- 

 struction across any river, stream or other waters in this 

 state shall be erected or maintained which is not provided 

 with a proper chute or rish ladder of suitable capacity and 

 facilities to afford a free passage for fish up and down the 

 same while the water is running over such dam or obstruc- 

 tion; such chutes or fish ladders shall be of such construc- 

 tion and material as shall be prescribed by the state fish 

 and game warden, and shall be completed and placed in all 

 dams in existence at the date of the passage of this act on 

 or before the 1st day of November, 1911, and all dams 

 built after the passage of this act shall be constructed with 

 such chutes or fish ladders at the time of building of said 

 dams." 



A recommended design for such fish ladder as is contem- 

 plated in the fish and game law is shown in detail on the 

 accompanying drawing. In addition, the following sug- 

 gestions are made regarding the construction and mainte- 

 nance of this form of fishway. 



" The ladder is to be placed in the principal channel of the 

 stream or where the deepest water is to be found. Es- 

 pecially the bottom of the ladder must be in some perma- 

 nent pool of the main channel. 



As shown in the drawing, a channel or notch must be 

 cut across the crest of the dam sufficient to receive the full 

 depth of the ladder. In the case of masonry or concrete 

 dams, anchor the ladder substantially to the dam crest by 

 means of strap irons and anchor bolts. In the case of a 

 timber dam, cut out a recess for the fishway the same as 

 for a masonry dam. and fasten the strap irons to the prin- 

 cipal timbers of the dam crest by means of bolts or long lag 

 screws. 



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