Richfield canal system to go on fish salvage

JEROME - The Big Wood Canal Company stopped releasing water from Magic Dam July 3rd. This will reduce flows in the Big Wood River below Magic Dam as well as dewater the Richfield canal. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game opened the canal to salvage of fish. "We would rather have people harvest these fish than let them go to waste when the canal is dewatered," said Doug Megargle, Regional Fisheries Manager. Daily bag, possession, and size limits will be removed on the Big Wood River from Magic Dam to the Richfield canal, the Richfield Canal downstream to the Gooding County line, and on the Richfield and Lincoln Canal systems. Licensed anglers may take the fish by any method except firearms, explosives, chemicals, or electric current, until August 31. After August 31, 2004 standard fishing methods, bag limits, and possession limits will be re-instated. Loss of stream flows in the Big Wood River below Magic Dam during July and August will likely result in water temperatures lethal to the remaining trout population. It is possible that some fish will survive in larger spring-fed pools therefore the salvage order will be lifted by September when water temperatures cool. This shortened salvage order may allow remaining trout to over-winter to provide a limited spring fishery. Additional public salvage may be considered later this summer. The same area was dewatered earlier this year, but the cooler air temperatures kept the standing water cool enough for trout to survive No fish were stocked into the Richfield Canal in 2004. Idaho Department of Fish and Game diverted those fish destined for the canal into other fisheries with better water storage forecasts. Fish currently residing in the canal are likely those that escaped the reservoir or those that over-wintered in the Big Wood River below Magic Dam. "We hate to see this happen but because of the dry year it was inevitable. The lack of water stored in Magic Reservoir impacts many people as well as the local fish population," Megargle said. "We expect to see the fishery rebound in the next few years if we get adequate winter precipitation. There has always been some survival of rainbow trout in the deep pools and areas with springs in the canal even during these dewatering periods. We observed some rainbow trout spawning in the Big Wood River Canyon just below Magic Dam this spring which documents survival of larger trout despite past dewatering events and salvage orders."