154 
Production 
Production on the reservoir trend areas in northern Nevada amounted 
to very little this year. Severe drought conditions resulted in the drying up of 
most reservoirs by late summer. Water levels were low at the start of the 
breeding season and had receded to pothole proportions too far isolated from 
available cover to offer attractive nesting sites before the nesting season was 
very far along. This condition, which prevailed last year as well, resulted ina 
47 percent decrease in the number of young observed on the reservoir trend areas 
compared to last year. For the past two years of drought conditions, production has 
dropped on these areas 90 percent from the 1953 level, 
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge reports near normal water 
conditions and a slight increase in production over last year. 
Table I. - Totals of All Brood Classes by Species on Reservoir Trend Areas 
For Comparative Periods, 1954-1955. 
Broods Young Average 
Species 1954 1955 1954 1955 1954 1955 
Mallard l2 15 77 88 6.4 5.8 
Pintail 9 3 37 17 4.1 5.7 
Gadwall 15 5 93 33 6.2 6.6 
Cinnamon Teal 8 - 51 - 6.3 - 
Green-winged Teal 3 1 12 5 4.0 5.0 
Total 47 24 270 143 5.7 5.9 
Table I shows a 47 percent decrease in number of young and a 48 
percent decrease in number of broods observed on the reservoir trend areas 
compared to 1954. 
On the Stillwater Wildlife Management Area duck production has 
increased about nine percent and production of Canada geese has nearly doubled. 
Noticeable increases occurred in numbers of mallard, cinnamon teal, redhead 
and ruddy ducks. Production of padwall, baldpate, pintail and shovelers has 
declined. In the remainder of west-central Nevada production has dropped about — 
50 percent from last year. 
