TWENTY-NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 45 



and new fence built around the grounds when funds are available for 

 this purpose. 



The number of eggs collected in 192-1 from Ward Creek Avas 550,000, 

 from Taylor Creek, 455,000, and from Blackwood Creek, 590,000. The 

 number collected in 1925 from Taylor Creek was 135,000, from Black- 

 wood Creek, 590,000. 



UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER EGG-COLLECTING STATION. 



This station was improved and structure of the trap made permanent 

 during the season. of 1925. Permanent cribs were placed in the river 

 and the racks and apron made of better material. A cabin for the 

 help was built and everything arranged in good order for the work 

 during the spring of 1926. 



The run of fish in the stream is not as great as in former years, for 

 the same condition that has caused a shortage of fish in all the tributary 

 streams of Lake Tahoe, as well as in the lake, applies to the whole Tahoe 

 basin. Destruction of the spawn fish over a period of many years by 

 market fishermen and the excessive fishing of the small fish in the 

 tributary streams before they have a chance to enter the lake and 

 develop are the causes of shortage. More will be written on this subject 

 later on in this report. 



There was collected during the spring of 1926 approximately 500,000 

 eggs of the large lake trout at this station, which was a good take con- 

 sidering the unfavorable weather conditions that prevailed in the Tahoe 

 basin last spring. 



UKIAH HATCHERY. 



In January, 1924, a new lease for the Ukiah Hatchery for a period of 

 five years was procured from the trustees of the town of Ukiah. New 

 troughs were installed and the hatchery put in a good state of repair 

 to carry on the work until such time as a new hatchery can be built 

 where there is a larger supply of water to be had. The water supply 

 is getting less each season, due to forest fires denuding the water-shed 

 as well as the effects of the dry seasons on all Gibson Creek and in fact 

 all streams in the state. A new site will be selected where there will 

 be an abundance of water and one which will be centrally located, so 

 that the streams of Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties may be 

 stocked from one hatchery and thus save the overhead expense of oper- 

 ating several small stations. 



During the biennial period 1,181,765 trout were planted from this 

 hatchery. 



SNOW MOUNTAIN EGG-COLLECTION STATION. 



This station is located below Cape Horn dam on the South Eel River 

 and before the construction of Lake Pillsbury, furnished several mil- 

 lions of steelhead eggs each season. During light or even normal rain- 

 fall, the water is held back by this lake to such an extent that it seriously 

 effects the ascent of the fish in South Eel River. During 1925 and 

 1926, the number of eggs collected at this station was far below the 

 average. During the spring of 1925, we not only had a shortage of 

 water in the main stream, but an epidemic broke out among the spawn- 



