

Small Reclamafion Pro/ects (P.L. 984) 



During the biennium, the department reviewed 27 

 applications under this program. All hut six, which 

 would have no effect on fish and ^\•ildlife, were under 

 investigation by the appropriate regions. Recommen- 

 dations for protection of fish and wildlife resources 

 were made in the case of nine applications and five of 

 these included enhancement features. 



An application b)- the Jackson Valley Irrigation 

 District is unique in that enhancement features for 

 fish and wildlife recreation call for an expenditure of 

 more than §250,000. The project plan calls for addi- 

 tional water storage for fishery purposes, access fea- 

 tures, and sanitary and recreational facilities. 



Small Watershed and Flood Prevention Projects 



(P.L.S66& tots; 



Forty applications for federal aid under this law 

 have been reviewed by the department in the bien- 

 nium. Of these, 18 were found to have no adverse 

 effects or enhancement possibilities. The remaining 

 22 are under investigation. Tentative recommenda- 

 tions have been made on nine of these but are subject 

 to revision until the project plans are more complete. 



Sev'Cral of these projects present serious problems 

 or enhancement possibilities for fish and wildlife. As 

 in the case of P. L. 984 projects, investigations and 

 recommendations concerning these projects usually 

 involve water releases for the maintenance of fish life, 

 fish passage facilities, reservoir storage for fishery 

 compensation or enhancement, access problems, etc. 



Major Disaster Projects (P. L. 87S; 



The department revie\\ed 178 applications for fed- 

 eral aid under this law. As provided by Fish and Wild- 

 life Co-ordination Act, these applications must be sub- 

 mitted for review by the Department of Fish and 

 Game for adverse effects on fish and wildlife. 



Dam Applications 



Thirty-three dam applications were reviewed for 

 their possible effects on fish and wildlife. Several of 

 these require further investigations regarding the need 

 for fish ladders. Fish trapping facilities were recom- 

 mended at one. 



WATER PROJECTS-CONTRACT GROUP 



A group of fish and game specialists from the de- 

 partment's water projects section operates under a 

 service agreement with the Department of Water Re- 

 sources. .Members of this group participate in the 

 early planning stages of developments outlined in the 

 California Water Plan. 



The important projects studied. and reported on dur- 

 ing the biennium were the Northeast Counties, Upper 

 Feather River, and Salinity Control Barrier. These in- 

 volved recommendations for stream flows, evaluation 



Dead stripers from the dramatic fisb kilt in San Francisco Bay. 



— Fish and Game Photo 



of effects on fish and wildlife resources and means to 

 preserve or enhance the existing fisheries. 



Studies were begun on the North Coastal Area 

 Major Development Plan. Ultimate development of 

 this area involves the export of about 12,000,000 acre- 

 feet of water annually from the north coastal area. 



Other important but smaller local projects were 

 evaluated and reported on. Table 45 in the appendix 

 lists the projects and their status at the end of the 

 biennium. 



POLLUTION 



Water pollution control activities of the depart- 

 ment, as well as other regulatory agencies, increased 

 significantly during the biennium. To a large degree 

 this increase can be attributed to a growing aware- 

 ness and desire on the part of the public for positive 

 measures to effectively eliminate the wasteful and de- 

 structive effects of pollution. 



California is witnessing a population growth which 

 might appropriately be called an explosion. At the 

 beginning of the biennium there were 1 3,600,000 Cali- 

 fornians. By 1975 a projection of anticipated growth 

 points to a population of 26,343,000 and by 1980 the 

 State will probably number over 31,000,000. 



At no time in California's history has it been more 

 apparent that the future of fisheries, wildlife, and rec- 

 reational resources is completely dependent upon ade- 

 quate supplies of unpolluted water. Intensified pollu- 

 tion control action and realistic planning for water 

 quality management in the future are essential to fish 

 and gam.e management in California. 



Since 1949, and the inauguration of California's Water 

 Pollution Control Law (the Dickey Act), state and 

 regional water pollution control boards have been 

 the agencies directly responsible for the regulation of 

 waste discharges and the control of water pollution. 

 It is the duty of the regional boards to determine the 

 beneficial uses of the receiving waters which are to be 

 protected and to prescribe appropriate waste dis- 

 charge requirements for the protection of these bene- 

 ficial uses. 



