Lake Lenore fish rescue

[Buzzy]

WDFW's Mike Schmuck will be dip netting fish at the concrete trap (inlet from Alkali) tomorrow morning, he's looking for a few strapping strong backs. Hope to see some there with Mike, Rod Sand and I.

 

[Buzzy]

TTT

 

[Jim F.]

WDFW's Mike Schmuck will be dip netting fish at the concrete trap (inlet from Alkali) tomorrow morning, he's looking for a few strapping strong backs. Hope to see some there with Mike, Rod Sand and I.

Good on you guys, Pat.

 

[Buzzy]

Looking for help today - At last year's "rescue", the youngest person there was the biologist: he's just a kid in his 50's, the youngest volunteer may well have been then 72 year old Buzzy. Anyone want to help (yes, short notice)?

Last year -


Last year: Netting lahontans at the spawning trap ----^




Last year: Returning lahontans to the south end of the lake

 

[Starfish]

For those not “in the know”…
Could you share a bit more information about this, what is being done and why? It sounds like this is a recurring thing, is it needed every year?

 

[Buzzy]

For those not “in the know”…
Could you share a bit more information about this, what is being done and why? It sounds like this is a recurring thing, is it needed every year?

Sure - I'll try. The spawning trap's flow is fed from Alkali Lake across SR17. Given dry (dare I say drought like) conditions, Alkali's elevation drops in early spring which reduces flow (or dries up) the creek the lahontans swim up in their spawning ritual (there isn't any natural spawning that occurs in this creek). In years past (wetter years) the trout, once the urge to spawn passed, would simply migrate back into the lake and disperse.

On two (maybe more?) years, the creeks flow diminished to the point that many trout suffocated and died. This "rescue" is an attempt to move fish from the creek to the south end in hopes that the rescued trout will disperse.

For what it's worth: DFW isn't using the trap anymore to collect trout for spawning purposes. Several of us have talked about trying to design, fund and get a barrier built at the "mouth" of the creek to prevent trout from swimming up the creek (without a paddle). //Pat

@Starfish - come on up and give us a hand ;-)

 

[Salmo_g]

Buzzy, please tell Mike Schmuck that with slightly more lead time, it would be a lot easier to get some volunteers. I'd drive over, but learning about it on the "day of" kinda' obviates that possibility. Regarding a barrier, the design already exists. I can't recall the name of the design at the moment, but an engineer colleague designed one for Seattle City Light's Newhalem Creek powerhouse to prevent salmon and steelhead from getting stranded. It works. And I know just where WDFW can get the funding . . .

 

[Buzzy]

Buzzy, please tell Mike Schmuck that with slightly more lead time, it would be a lot easier to get some volunteers. I'd drive over, but learning about it on the "day of" kinda' obviates that possibility. Regarding a barrier, the design already exists. I can't recall the name of the design at the moment, but an engineer colleague designed one for Seattle City Light's Newhalem Creek powerhouse to prevent salmon and steelhead from getting stranded. It works. And I know just where WDFW can get the funding . . .

Yeah - it would have been nice to get more notice and Mike knows. If you'd come over it could have been a two-for.

 

[Starfish]

Hopefully in a future year after retirement I’ll be able to help out!