except for some limited plants of catchable-size rainbow 

 trout and plants of brovm trout eggs in Elk Creek, a 

 tributary to the reservoir. The egg plants are a new attempt 

 to establish a self-sustaining brown trout population. 



More attention has been focused on Noxon Rapids 

 Reservoir in recent years, because a successful fishery in 

 Noxon will have a positive influence on the Cabinet Gorge 

 Reservoir fishery. Like Cabinet Gorge, early attempts to 

 establish a fishery at Noxon Reservoir were successful, but 

 relied on annual stocking. Populations of brown trout, bull 

 trout, lake whitefish, and perch are found in each reservoir, 

 but their numbers or quality have been insufficient to 

 maintain an acceptable fishery. 



In 1986, a new operation plan for Noxon Rapids Reservoir 

 was put in effect by the Washington Water Power Company. 

 Prepared through joint efforts of WWP, the Montana Department 

 of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Northwest Power Planning 

 Council, the plan reduces the extent and frequency of 

 reservoir drawdowns, especially at critical times of the 

 year. The four major points of the agreement are as follows: 



1. Maximum drawdown is limited to ten feet, except in 

 the second and succeeding years of a critical water 

 period, as defined by the Pacific Northwest 

 Coordination Agreement, drafting may reach 36 feet, 

 but only on a pro-rata basis with all other 

 reservoirs in the coordinated system. 



2. By May 15 each year the reservoir will be operated 

 within four feet of full pool until September 30 to 

 protect most in-reservoir fish spawning activities, 

 reduce effects of drawdown on aquatic plant and 

 animal communities, and assure recreational access 

 during major use months. 



3. The rate of drafting will be limited to two feet per 

 day and ten feet per week to reduce bank erosion. 



4. WWP reserves the right to deviate from the opera- 

 tional criteria in the event of an emergency, such 

 as project maintenance, system power failures, or an 

 extended period of weather extremes. 



In addition to this agreement, WWP is continuing to 

 support the state's effort to establish fish populations in 

 the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids reservoirs. A full-time 

 WWP biologist is currently studying the effects of the new 

 operating criteria at DFWP's direction. Also, a three-year 



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