More suitable gamefish habitat and fewer aquatic weeds are the goals of a renovation project set to begin in late August at Caldwell Ponds. The five-year gravel extraction project will result in one larger, deeper pond and subsequent better fishing conditions for pond anglers.
Upon project completion, Caldwell Pond will be 30 feet deep and 30 acres in size, nearly four times as large as the eight-acre footprint of the current ponds.
Located on Pond Lane just south of State Highway 20 in Caldwell, the ponds will be closed to all public access throughout the improvement period. This includes not only the ponds, but trails, parking areas and the restroom.
“We’re excited to see the long-term benefits of gravel removal at Caldwell Ponds,” Fish and Game fisheries manager John Cassinelli noted. “Anglers will have a much improved fishing experience when the renovated pond reopens.”
The 40-acre parcel encompassing Caldwell Ponds was purchased by Fish and Game in 1951 and opened as a public fishing water two years later. Pond facilities were upgraded in 2007, with further upgrades planned following completion of the gravel project.
Rainbow trout normally destined for Caldwell Ponds in October and November will be diverted to Manns Creek and Lucky Peak Reservoirs. In 2020 and beyond, those fish earmarked for Caldwell will be redistributed across other regional waters.
For more information regarding the Caldwell Ponds renovation project, contact fisheries manager John Cassinelli at the Fish and Game Nampa office, 208-465-8465.
- IDFG -