04-11-2014, 03:49 PM
I was at a presentation by Southeast Region fishery biologists and learned some new and interesting things about Chesterfield that I thought I would share.
In the past Chesterfield Res has been drained down to complete fish kill pretty regularly. This used to happen just about every 5 to 7 years. Sometime more.
I thought that since then a combination of entities had bought some of the water rights and was keeping a minimum pool in there. I was wrong. The Portneuf/Marsh Valley Canal Co (I think that is the name) still could drain it. We have THEM to thank for the continued minimum pool in the reservoir.
They have been voluntarily cutting their water short, such as their stopping in August last year just so that the reservoir would not be drained down too low. We owe them a huge thank you. If you can't personally thank them or send them a note, then help keep the reservoir clean.
The two complaints the canal company had was of all the trash and vehicles on the dam blocking their access to the pump house. F&G put in new gates on both sides of the dam for them. Please don't block those gates. Walk in access to fish on the dam is still allowed. Please help out with the trash. There will still be pigs that fish, but we can help when we are there by cleaning up after some of them. Bring an extra garbage bag and gloves.
I don't have an address, but I will see if I can't get one soon.
BFT clean up anyone?
On a less than happy note. The cormorants are a plague to our stocked reservoirs. Chesterfield, Treasurton, and Foster have been especially hit hard. F&G is working on several options including stocking fewer, but larger fish, and they are working hard on getting permission for a lethal solution on some of the birds.
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In the past Chesterfield Res has been drained down to complete fish kill pretty regularly. This used to happen just about every 5 to 7 years. Sometime more.
I thought that since then a combination of entities had bought some of the water rights and was keeping a minimum pool in there. I was wrong. The Portneuf/Marsh Valley Canal Co (I think that is the name) still could drain it. We have THEM to thank for the continued minimum pool in the reservoir.
They have been voluntarily cutting their water short, such as their stopping in August last year just so that the reservoir would not be drained down too low. We owe them a huge thank you. If you can't personally thank them or send them a note, then help keep the reservoir clean.
The two complaints the canal company had was of all the trash and vehicles on the dam blocking their access to the pump house. F&G put in new gates on both sides of the dam for them. Please don't block those gates. Walk in access to fish on the dam is still allowed. Please help out with the trash. There will still be pigs that fish, but we can help when we are there by cleaning up after some of them. Bring an extra garbage bag and gloves.
I don't have an address, but I will see if I can't get one soon.
BFT clean up anyone?
On a less than happy note. The cormorants are a plague to our stocked reservoirs. Chesterfield, Treasurton, and Foster have been especially hit hard. F&G is working on several options including stocking fewer, but larger fish, and they are working hard on getting permission for a lethal solution on some of the birds.
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