IK! CAIJKOUNIA FISH AND GAME 



miles into West Fork at the upper end of Louse Can3()n. Tliese stor- 

 ages maintain a constant Avater level in the lakes throuj,'li which it 

 flows and a <;o()d sti'cam of live uatoi' from tlic stoi'a^-c hikes to the 

 junction of the West Fork witli the juain Cherry. TJie flow through 

 Louse Canyon September 18, 1933, was about 60 miner's inches. 

 The lakes and streams in this chain are well stocked with trout and 

 many small finfiforline's of this year's hatch were observed. It is not 

 known whether any available storage exists above Buck Lake. If so, an 

 ideal permanent spawning area in the stream channel above this lake 

 could be developed, where all natural spawn is now lost through lack 

 of continuous stream flow. 



The center or North Fork chain of lakes includes dams at Emi- 

 grant Meadow Lakes and Emigrant Lake. The latter, on account of 

 its large storage capacity, is the key control to the entire watershed 

 project; wdth the construction of a 24-inch top extension on this 

 dam, the storage will provide a minimum flow of 80 miner's inches or 

 more, the full distance to the junction of Cherry and Elinor creeks. 

 Emigrant Meadow Lakes furnish sufficient storage to adequately 

 protect the spawning areas above Emigrant Lake and to insure 

 natural reproduction in the latter. 



About three miles below Emigrant Lake the stream enters Cow 

 Meadow. This meadow is several miles long and for much of the 

 distance fine gravelly spawning beds exist. A canal-like lake about 

 one mile long and ranging from ,50 to 100 feet wide and up to 4 feet 

 deep is situated at the lower end of the meadow. It is proposed to 

 construct a low erosion dam at the lower end of this canal, to raise 

 its water level 24 to 30 inches. In addition to deepening this canal, 

 raising the water level 24 inches will connect up a 15 acre lake which 

 is about 18 inches higher than the present water level in the meadow. 

 This lake is now barren but will become a valuable stocking reservoir 

 W'hen connected with the creek system. The results of the 1931 con- 

 struction are very pronounced in Cow Meadow. It has never been my 

 privilege to see any section of stream better stocked with fingerlings 

 and one and two year old trout than is this section. One has to see 

 these results to fully appreciate the accomplishment. 



The East Fork chain lacks sufficient storage. A dam at Bigelow 

 Lake supplies live water into Huckleberry Lake at all times but the 

 evaporation in Huckleberry Lake is greater than the inflow will replace, 

 resulting in the stream below Huckleberry Lake to its junction with 

 the North Fork going dry. Storage at Snow Lake, located 21 miles 

 northeast of Bigelow Lake, would supply the necessary water to offset 

 evaporation in Huckleberry and would also open up two miles of 

 excellent spawning area in Horse IMeadow. In addition to a storage 

 dam at Snow Lake, an erosion dam should be built at the lower end 

 of Horse Meadow and a low flat dam at the lower end of Huckleberry 

 Lake to prevent excessive early runoff of surface water. 



Regulation of water discharge from these storage dams is accom- 

 ])lished in a simple manner which does not require frequent adjust- 

 ments. A gate valve, which can be locked in any position, allows for an 

 opening which will pass a predetermined flow of water. The valves are 

 then opened to this extent and remain so at all times. When dams are 

 full and water flowing over spillways, a portion of the surplus water 



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