FORT PECK RESERVOIR PROJECT 



A one season investigation was conducted on Fort Peck Reser- 

 voir by the department in cooperation with the Missouri River Basin 

 Studies of the Fish and Wildlife Service. A report'' of the investi- 

 gation was prepared and published. 



It was established from the investigation that the three most 

 abundant species of fish, excluding carp from the consideration, in 

 that portion of the reservoir adjacent to the dam, in order of their 

 abundance, were goldeye, yellow perch, and sauger. Carp, too, are 

 abundant, but no comparative figures for this species were obtained. 

 The depth distribution of the three above mentioned species was de- 

 termined for the summer of 1948 in the area adjacent to the dam. 

 Goldeye were most abundant from zero to four feet, sauger from ten 

 to fourteen feet, and perch from fifteen to nineteen feet. 



It is indicated from this investigation and from the creel counts 

 of the Missouri River Basin Studies that returns to the creel per plant 

 of hatchery reared trout and kokanee (landlocked sockeye salmon) are 

 low, that the plants cannot be justified on the basis of the return. 

 It was also indicated that, in lieu of plants of rainbow trout, brown 

 trout, and kokanee, lake trout, a lake spawning fish, should be 

 planted. Two well made plants of fish at least eight inches long 

 should be made. Two plants should be sufficient to demonstrate 

 whether or not this fish can establish itself through natural propa- 

 gation. 



STOCK-WATER RESERVOIR PROJECT 



Throughout the state, and particularly in that portion of the state 

 east of the continental divide, there are thousands of small ponds, 

 reservoirs whose primary purpose is in providing water for livestock. 

 Many of these can provide suitable habitat for trout or warm water 

 fishes and have been stocked with these. The sportsmen of a large 

 area of the state depend upon these reservoirs as their primary 

 source of fishing recreation. These waters have offered a definite 

 problem in management, particularly because of complete or par- 

 tial fish kills, stunted fish populations, and fish balances undesirable 

 from the sportsmen's viewpoint. 



In order to develop management measures for these stock-water 

 reservoirs, the Montana Fish and Game Commission is participating 

 in a cooperative stock-water reservoir project with the Zoology and 

 Entomology Department of the Montana State College and the Mon- 

 tana State Extension Service. This project began May 1, 1949 and 

 will be concluded April 30, 1951. 



The project is designed to determine what physical and chem- 

 ical features in a stock-water reservoir make it most suitable for 

 fish. When the fundamental knowledge concerning suitable habitat 

 is available, ponds with optimum features will be chosen, and experi- 

 ments will be conducted on these to establish fish management 

 measures. 



•■» 1950. Progress Report of the Fort Peck Reservoir Fishery Survey. 

 Montana Fish and Game Commission Bulletin No. 3. 



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