FORTY-FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT 91 



Fish and Game was directly affected by the addition of Section 481.5 to 

 the Fish and Game Code, which provides that all continuing and chronic 

 cases of water pollution be turned over to tlie local boards for action. The 

 1949 laws also provide that any persons desiring' to discharge sewage or 

 industrial waste apply to the regional boards for requirements that will 

 have to be maintained by the operator of the disposal system. The regional 

 boards establish these requirements after consultation witli the state and 

 local agencies interested in the problem. The Division of Fish and Game 

 has the responsibility of furnishing any technical information or investi- 

 gations on the fish and wildlife aspects of any case of pollution requested 

 by the regional boards. The boards are now begiiniing to realize the im- 

 portance of recreation, fish, and wildlife insofar as pollution and water 

 use are concerned. The intention of the Legislature was for these boards 

 to have small staffs and to utilize existing state departments and facilities. 

 Until now the various boards have ju-ocessed only applications for new 

 waste discharges and very little has been done with the chronic cases of 

 stream pollution. Within a short time it is anticipated that the regional 

 boards will be in a position to begin to abate some of the conditions which 

 are the source of complaints at the present time. 



The number of requests for investigations and surveys that come in 

 from both the regional boards and field personnel of the Division of Fish 

 and Game far exceed the load that can be carried by the available person- 

 nel. The State Water Pollution Control r>oard recognizes that the interest 

 of the Department of Natural llesources in pollution control is as great 

 as that of any other state agency, but this recognition is not widespread. 

 The pollution control investigations carried on by the three state depart- 

 ments interested in the problem have now been grouped and the entire 

 pollution investigation program of the State is administered by a coordi- 

 nating committee composed of three representatives, one each from the 

 Department of Public Health, the Department of Public Works, and the 

 Division of Fish and Game. 



In the past, agencies dealing with water use have not recognized the 

 fish and game aspects or the magnitude of the industry they support, 

 partly because of the limited program of the Division of Fish and Game 

 as compared with those of the other state de|)artments. Tliis attitude is 

 unfortunate, particularly insofar as pollution is concerned, because of 

 the extreme interest of the sportsman in clean M^aters and the vital need 

 of using all waters possible for recreation in our existing society. It is 

 regrettable that any waters that could be used for fisli, wildlife, and 

 recreation in this day of water shortages should be befouled by sewage 

 beyond the point of any possible use. 



The years 1948-50 have seen a great deal of construction for domestic 

 sewage treatment. The postwar building programs of cities have finally 

 produced results and treatment plants are being completed and put into 

 operation. A good example is the eastern side of San Francisco Bay. 

 Plans were started before the war, the bond issue was passed in 1947, and 

 construction will be completed in 1951. This will relieve the septic con- 

 ditions along the bay and estuary and also the odors along the Eastshore 

 Freeway. 



Much work needs to be done before the industrial waste problems in 

 the State can be solved. The food processing industry has installed a 

 number of screens and in cases where the city disposal plant accepts the 



