54 REPORT OF STATE ROARD OF FISH (COMMISSIONERS. 



VERDI STATION. 



In November of 1902, we began the construction of a new hatchery 

 on Laughton Creek, Sierra County, on lands owned by (ieorge H. and 

 \\'. ('. Foulks, of Verdi, Nev., who granted us a free lease for a term of 

 three years. From John \\'. Hill, wlio controlled tlie water rights of 

 Tiaughton Creek, we received an exclusive privilege, on condition that 

 after passing through our hatchery the water he returned to the main 

 cliannel. The material for the building was purchased from the Verdi 

 Lumber Company, who made quite a concession on the price of the 

 building material. The construction work was in charge of F. J. 

 Watson, an experienced man from our Sisson hatchery. The general 

 plan was furnished by W. H. Shel)ley. The building has a capacity of 

 1,250,000 eggs, and we have also an ample supply of the purest water 

 for that number of eggs. The hatchery was finished and ready to 

 receive eggs on December 12, 1902. The first to be placed in the build- 

 ing Avere 100,000 Eastern brook-trout eggs received from Leadville, 

 Colo., in February, 1903, which were quickly followed by a large take 

 of Rainbow trout eggs, one third of which were collected at the Essex 

 dam near Verdi, and two thirds at the electric light dam on the Truckee 

 River, two miles above Reno, Nev. Our total collection of Rainbow 

 trout eggs was about 1,200,000 — nearly double the number ever before 

 taken in a single season on the Truckee River. This would have been 

 largely increased but for an unexpected freshet, which occurred on 

 March 27, 1903, and overflowed the dams, bringing down logs and other 

 debris, which carried away our traps and other apparatus for capturing 

 and holding the fish. We had on hand at that time a large number of 

 unripe females, which we were obliged to liberate, as the river remained 

 at such a high stage that the male fish were enabled to pass the dams. 

 The operations of spawn-taking were in charge of E. W. Hunt, who had 

 been transferred from Sisson for that purpose. He was assisted by 

 J. P. Morrill of Verdi (an experienced man) and Samuel O'Haver of 

 Reno. Of the total number of eggs collected, fifteen per cent were 

 hatched and delivered to the authorities of Washoe County, Nevada, in 

 consideration of the privilege of operating in that State. About forty- 

 five per cent were hatched and liberated in the Tahoe basin and 

 Truckee region. The remainder were divided between the Sisson 

 hatchery in Siskiyou County and the Wawona hatchery in Yosemite 

 National Park. This splendid take of eggs full}' justified the moderate 

 expense of constructing a new station. 



The take in the spring of 1904 was most discouraging, although the 

 prospects were flattering. There were large numbers of good-sized fish 

 to be seen, but the heavy and continuous storms kept the Truckee River 

 at a flood stage for several months. The gates at the outlet of Lake 



