16 
releases. Total storage in the State as of 
May 1, 1961, was only 31 percent of average. 
Although weather was cold and rainy during 
April and May, the water soaked into the soil 
and did not contribute materially to spring 
and summer streamflow. These late storms 
retarded the nesting season several weeks. 
Nearly all important waterfowl-producing 
marshes were dry or greatly reduced in size 
by July 15, 1961. The Stillwater and Carson 
Lake marshes in Lahontan Valley were 
nearly dry and marsh units at Ruby Lake 
Refuge were greatly reduced. 
BREEDING POPULATION INDEXES 
Nesting pair data recorded during aerial 
and ground surveys are presented in table 
E-10 (p. 89). Duck nesting populations were 
reduced 17 percent from 1960 and 62 per- 
cent from 1959. Canada goose nesting 
populations are down 13 percent from 1960 
and 8 percent from 1959. 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
Duck production for the State shows a de- 
crease of 18 percent from last year and is 
70 percent below 1959. Canada goose pro- 
duction is equal to last year and is 11 
percent below 1959. 
Table F-15 (p.113) shows production 
trends on comparable areas for the years 
1959-61. 
CONCLUSIONS 
Severe drought conditions prevail 
throughout the State and this year's water- 
fowl production is the poorest on record. 
Very little suitable habitat will be available 
to migrating waterfowl this fall and winter. 
UTAH 
Data supplied by Donald A. 
Smith, Utah Department of 
Fish and Game 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
The winter and spring months of 1961 
were the driest in several years especially 
in the northern part of the State. Breeding 
habitat was confined entirely to permanent 
water areas; none of the seasonally flooded 
marshes of northern Utah contained water. 
Conditions in scattered parts of the southern 
half of the State were slightly improved over 
those of a year ago; however, many of the 
irrigation reservoirs, which produce most 
of the Canada geese in this part of the 
State, are low with some expected to dry 
completely before the end of the summer. 
These drouth conditions will unquestionably 
reduce waterfowl production in Utah. 
BREEDING POPULATION INDEXES 
Aerial census figures for 1961 indicate 
a reduction of 14 percent in breeding pairs 
of ducks from 1960. (Table E-11, p. 90.) 
Areas showing the most drastic declines 
were the natural and manmade marshes 
from Salt Lake County north. Utah County 
showed a significant increase with 48ducks 
per square mile counted this year. This is 
the highest concentration of breeding water- 
fowl censused in this County since aerial 
observations have been conducted. It is 
surmized that this concentration was ef- 
fected by drouth conditions over the State. 
Whereas, the marshes of the northern 
counties are shallow and dried relatively 
early, the marshes of Utah County are 
associated with Utah Lake, a relatively 
stable and permanent body of water. 
Two transects and one gun club area 
were entirely dry during the census period. 
Ground counts, conducted on all manage- 
ment areas and several of the natural 
marshes over the State, revealed signifi- 
cantly lower numbers of breeding waterfowl 
in the northern marshes (table E-12, p. 90). 
Southern areas showed significant increases 
in breeding pairs of ducks since 1960 
(table E-13). As previously stated, the 
southern part of the State is notas seriously 
affected by drouth conditions as are the 
northern sections. i 
No significant changes in species com- 
position were noted in 1961 as compared 
with 1960. 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
Trend counts of Canada goose broods 
were again conducted in 1961. Significant 
increases, both in the number of broods 
