Biological Survey — Oswego Watershed 17 



I. STOCKING POLICY FOR THE STREAMS, SMALLER 

 LAKES AND PONDS OF THE OSWEGO WATERSHED 



By G. C. Embody 



Professor of Aquiculture, Cornell University 



The development of a stocking policy for the streams and ponds 

 of the Oswego watershed has been based upon studies similar to 

 those conducted during the summer of 1926 in the Genesee area. 



The survey of the present year covered approximately double the 

 area represented in the Genesee drainage, and while the latter con- 

 tained 3,400 miles of stream, the Oswego with all of its tributaries 

 constituted a total mileage close to 7,000. In attempting to cover 

 such a large stream mileage during a comparatively short period of 

 three months., the time allotted to any particular stream was neces- 

 sarily short. It was possible to economize in time in the following 

 ways : Dry runs were passed over quickly. Badly polluted streams 

 flowing through cities were likewise given little attention, because 

 in the present state, fishes could not live in them and the nature 

 and degree of pollution was to be adequately covered by another 

 group of investigators. Likewise streams too small for bass and 

 obviously unsuited to trout were passed over quickly. In other 

 cases where trout were observed to occur in abundance, our chief 

 concern had to do with the size and the evaluation of food and pool 

 conditions — factors determining the number of fish to be planted. 

 Finally in the case of Oneida and Tompkins, county streams which 

 had already been covered, the former by Dr. W. A. Clemens in 

 1916 and the latter by the writer in 1918 and 1919, it was likewise 

 sufficient to study them with reference only to the number of fish 

 to be planted. It may be stated here that the stocking policy set 

 forth in the surveys of these two counties has been adhered to in 

 almost every case. In a few instances, however, stream conditions 

 had evidently changed during the last eight or nine years, neces- 

 sitating some alterations. 



In the present survey, field data blanks (Appendix I) slightly 

 modified in form from the Genesee blank, have been used. The 

 work of collecting information on them has fallen chiefly to six 

 persons, namely: Dr. D. J. Leffingwell, Messrs, A. S. Hazzard, E. 

 P. Hunter, R. D. Harwood, R. A. Laubengayer and V. S. L. Pate. 



The problem during the past summer has been to determine 

 what streams and ponds are suitable for stocking; what species 

 of food fishes should be planted in them, and in the case of trout 

 streams, approximately how many should be planted per unit 

 of length (See Appendix II-XI and maps). The factors studied 

 with this end in view were discussed in some detail in the Report 

 of the Genesee Survey and are referred to briefly in this paper. 



Water Temperature. — The maximum water temperature in a 

 rapid, unpolluted stream suitable for brook trout we have taken 

 as 75° Fahr. even though there is some evidence to show that 



