REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 37 



The Tahoe hatcheries have been operated to their full capacity during 

 the last two seasons. It is planned to acquire a new site for the Tallac 

 Hatchery where fry can be held until later in the fall. Fry if reared 

 to a large size stand a better chance of survival after being planted in 

 the Lake. The Department of Fish Culture is planning to make 

 increased efforts to propagate lake trout (Salmo tahoevsis). This 

 valuable fish should be increased in number by artificial propagation. 

 New varieties of game trout should be added to the native species now 

 found in Lake Tahoe. 



Brookdale Hatchery was operated during the season of 1915-1916 

 under a lease procured from Santa Cruz County. As a return for the 

 use of the hatchery Santa Cruz County annually received 500,000 steel- 

 head trout fry to be distributed entirely in the public waters of that 

 county. Over 3,000,000 fish were reared at this hatchery in 1915 and 

 over 1,500,000 in 1916. 



The Ukiah and Fort Seward hatcheries reared both steelhead and 

 rainbow trout. At the Fort Seward station 140,000 black-spotted trout, 

 obtained from Lake Almanor, were reared and distributed in the Mad 

 and Eel rivers. The situation of this hatchery is such that it can also 

 be used for salmon culture. Next year an attempt will be made to obtain 

 a supply of eggs from the Eel River. 



The Bear Valley Hatchery, established by San Bernardino County, 

 has been operated by the commission during the past two years. All 

 of the fry reared were planted in Big Bear Lake and nearby streams 

 of San Bernardino County. Adverse conditions hindered operations in 

 1916 and the output was therefore below normal. 



The new temporary hatchery installed at Lake Almanor Dam, in 

 Plumas County, had a successful season in 1916. At this station 

 1,635,000 rainbow trout eggs were collected and held until ready for 

 shipment. Plans are being made for an additional egg taking station 

 at Domingo Springs, one mile from Rice Creek Falls. This egg 

 collecting station will help furnish a supply to the Almanor Hatchery. 



The egg collecting station established on Hat Creek in 1915 had to 

 be abandoned because of the tremendous flood of mud sent down the 

 Hat Creek Valley as a result of the eruption of Mount Lassen. Not 

 only were operations necessarily suspended, but all the fish in the 

 stream, from its source to its confluence with the Pit River, were 

 destroyed. This was one of the most serious destructions of fish life 

 in recent years in California. 



