THIRTY-SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT 37 



the dam in the fall of 1931 was prevented. The bureau prevailed upon 

 the company to install a temporary fish ladder to pass the remainder 

 of the salmon and steelhead on upstream. The operations of this tem- 

 porary installation were fairly satisfactory but such construction may 

 only be accepted as an expedient in an emergency. The permanent 

 installation is not yet in place and steps have been taken to protect 

 the State's interests though it is hoped that the owners will fulfill their 

 obligations to the State and avoid the necessity of further action by 

 providing for the next run of fish. Protection was included, however, 

 for the descending fish which will be satisfactory when some minor 

 adjustments are made. 



A number of irrigationists maintain a dam about 14 feet in height 

 on the Cosumnes River. This has been a barrier to migrating salmon 

 for about nine years as the owners have not installed a fishway. A 

 superior court injunction against these owners to restrain them from 

 using this dam until a fishway is built is still pending. The owners 

 constructed what is alleged to be a fishway, but in the opinion of the 

 bureau does not conform to requirements as "form, capacity and loca- 

 tion" of the structure is contrary to plans furnished by the Commis- 

 sion. 



With the exception of the latter case cited, improvements of old 

 fishways and installation of new ones are generally effected through 

 conferences. 



In the thirtieth and thirty-first biennial reports, reference was 

 made to the alleged satisfactory working of the fishway on the Baker 

 Dam on the Baker River at Concrete, Washington. Reports now 

 received indicate that this fishway has not been effective and the maxi- 

 mum salmon run up that river is now less than one-half of the mini- 

 mum that occurred prior to the construction of the dam. This matter 

 is again mentioned to demonstrate that enthusiastic first reports as 

 regards advances in fish conservation may not always be acceptable 

 and also has a direct bearing on dam construction in this State and 

 the general adverse effect on the perpetuation of the anadromous fishes. 

 This is a matter of prime importance and should receive careful con- 

 sideration. 



The work of prevention of pollution of the public waters has 

 continued along practically the same lines as before. Good progress 

 has been made. The work, however, requires constant follow-up efforts 

 though an educated public opinion is helpful and may permit in time 

 a lessening of the check-up efforts though new sources of pollution 

 are always occurring which require attention. 



Oil pollution has received the attention of many different organi- 

 zations of State and national scope. Some of these organizations have 

 done considerable work as the reports issued show. The correlation 

 of these various organizations and the application of the knowledge at 

 hand appears to be of primary importance. 



The previous reports have noted the excellent cooperation received 

 from the oil industry. I am happy to advise that this cooperation has 

 continued during the past biennium. For practical purposes, it may 

 be said that no oil pollution occurs from land operations except in 

 cases of accident and the ill effects of these are minimized by the usual 



