02-25-2013, 02:09 PM
Hello,
I will reply to Gemcity's question first of how escapement occurs from Scofield. Scofield is an irrigation and culinary water reservoir, not a power generation one. The outlet and spillway are both not screened and fish easily escape from the reservoir, especially when it is spilling. In 2011, I received many calls asking why we were stocking cutthroat into Lower Fish Creek below the dam. We didn't. The reservoir started spilling within a week or so after we stocked and hundreds, if not thousands of cutthroat were washed over the spillway.
The problem with tiger musky escapement would also occur in the spring when flows are high. These conditions would be conducive to allowing those fish to move downstream to the Green River quickly. It is true that the flows in Lower Fish Creek and the Price are low in the summer which would probably prevent downstream movement, but even then, the monsoonal summer rains may allow movement to the Green. Following the Seely fire in 2012, ash and debris from the Gordon Creek area made it to the Green approximately 24 hours after a rain event.
High flows either in the spring or summer are difficult to fish, making a catch and kill ineffective at the times when the fish are most likely to escape and/or move.
Pike and muskies both do well in large rivers in their native areas and pike are flourishing in the Green River now. I personally have little doubt the tiger musky would escape from Scofield and would easily find their way to the Green River.
The DWR is investigating ways to screen either the outlet and spillway at Scofield or Lower Fish Creek to prevent downstream movement, but nothing has shown itself to be a viable and economical option at this time. We are still looking.
Paul Birdsey
Coldwater Sportfish Coordinator
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
[signature]
I will reply to Gemcity's question first of how escapement occurs from Scofield. Scofield is an irrigation and culinary water reservoir, not a power generation one. The outlet and spillway are both not screened and fish easily escape from the reservoir, especially when it is spilling. In 2011, I received many calls asking why we were stocking cutthroat into Lower Fish Creek below the dam. We didn't. The reservoir started spilling within a week or so after we stocked and hundreds, if not thousands of cutthroat were washed over the spillway.
The problem with tiger musky escapement would also occur in the spring when flows are high. These conditions would be conducive to allowing those fish to move downstream to the Green River quickly. It is true that the flows in Lower Fish Creek and the Price are low in the summer which would probably prevent downstream movement, but even then, the monsoonal summer rains may allow movement to the Green. Following the Seely fire in 2012, ash and debris from the Gordon Creek area made it to the Green approximately 24 hours after a rain event.
High flows either in the spring or summer are difficult to fish, making a catch and kill ineffective at the times when the fish are most likely to escape and/or move.
Pike and muskies both do well in large rivers in their native areas and pike are flourishing in the Green River now. I personally have little doubt the tiger musky would escape from Scofield and would easily find their way to the Green River.
The DWR is investigating ways to screen either the outlet and spillway at Scofield or Lower Fish Creek to prevent downstream movement, but nothing has shown itself to be a viable and economical option at this time. We are still looking.
Paul Birdsey
Coldwater Sportfish Coordinator
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
[signature]