4(! FISn AND GAME COMMISSION. 



BROOKDALE HATCHERY. 



All cif the steolliead (^gus fcjllectt'd at the Scott ("I't^ek Egg-CoUeeting 

 Station were transferred as iisnal to this station dnring the last two 

 years, and from there distributed to the other hatcheries and the 

 nsnal nnnilier of fry hatched for Santa Crnz County. Owinjsr to the 

 increasing demand for water from Alba and Clear creeks, which supply 

 the summer residents who have cottages at Brookdale, and the drought 

 which has prevailed in tliis section, and other causes, we deem it 

 advisable to buy an additional piece of land at Scott Creek station 

 where the state already owns the ground where the egg-collecting sta- 

 tion is located, and construct a new building to hatch the fry for the 

 district comprising Santa Cruz, ^NFonterey, Santa Clara and San Mateo 

 counties. An ample supply of water can be obtained from Big Creek 

 to operate a hatchery approximately twice the size of the Brookdale 

 Hatchery^, which is necessary to supply this section of the state. The 

 fry can easily be distributed from this station to the railroad at Daven- 

 port, as well as by truck to the main line at Santa Cruz. The county 

 board of supervisors of Santa Cruz County have rendered every assist- 

 ance possible to make Brookdale Hatchery a success and are cooperating 

 with us to secure a hatchery site on Big Creek for increasing the pro- 

 duction of fry for that section of the state ; and we hope by the time 

 this report is published that we will have the site secured and be able 

 to submit jjlans for the construction of a new hatchery on this pro- 

 posed site. The hatchery at Brookdale is rapidly decaying, as the 

 building is quite old and the troughs, tanks, and even the foundation 

 would have to be rebuilt if the station is run longer than another sea- 

 son. We do not deem it advisable to construct a new station on the old 

 site and recommend the construction of a new hatchery on Big Creek, 

 a tributary- of Scott Creek. The land held under lease at Brookdale 

 could be held and the small ponds used for the rearing of trout fry 

 when the surplus fry from the main station at Scott Creek would cause 

 us to look for more room than the hatchery would furnish. The small 

 ponds might be put to good use by the county in holding their fry 

 until they were ready to make the distribution. 



The total number of frv distributed from Brookdale during the 

 seasons of 1922 and 1923 is'as follows: In 1922, 859,000; and in 1923, 

 850,000. 



SCOTT CREEK STATION. 



This egg-collecting station has been holding its average up to the 

 present time. The flow of w^ater at this station has been interfered with 

 by the appropriation of water from this stream by a Mr. Widemann, 

 who filed an application with the "Water Commission to divert a portion 

 of the water from this stream for use on lands adjacent to Scott Creek. 

 We protested the matter to the Division of Water Rights and are now 

 awaiting an ad.justment of the water supply which we desire to remain 

 in this stream so that the fry will have ample water in which to main- 

 tain themselves during the summer months before descending to the 

 ocean. This is very essential if Scott Creek is to be operated as an 

 egg-collecting station and spawners, or adult fish, maintained in this 

 stream. We are of the opinion that an amicable ad.iustinent of the 

 amount of water can be obtained and that there will nf)t be any serious 

 trouble with the pumping plants established by Mr. Widemann. 



