Big Wood Below Magic Reservoir to be Dewatered

In a move likely to be repeated as Idaho's drought continues, Fish and Game is already allowing anglers to salvage trout on the renowned Big Wood River. The Big Wood Canal Company of Shoshone has notified the Idaho Department of Fish and Game that low snow pack and carryover in Magic Reservoir will likely result in the reservoir being reduced to a puddle by early summer. As a result of this information, Fish and Game has declared an emergency which allows fishing past the usual closing date on that section of the Big Wood River from Magic Dam to the Richfield Canal Diversion. This four-mile stretch of the Big Wood River is usually closed from April 1 to the first Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, the general fishing opener. It will remain open starting Sunday, April 1. In addition to this emergency opening, trout limits are removed from this stretch of the Big Wood River, the Big Wood River from the Richfield Canal Diversion downstream to the Gooding County line, and on the Richfield and Lincoln Canal systems. This trout limit removal is effective from April 1 to November 30, 2001. At this time only normal angling methods will be allowed to harvest fish. This is to allow some trout spawning this spring. Although it is possible most of the fish in this reach of the Big Wood will die during dewatering this summer, there is some possibility that young fish (fry) can survive in small seep areas. The use of dip nets, seines, chemicals or explosives is prohibited. A current Idaho fishing license is required to take fish. Additional public salvage may be considered on other reservoirs this spring and summer as water level predictions become more definite. Fish and Game will notify all regional media outlets whenever this occurs.