Fish Count Set for Eagle Lake
March 1, 1950
Pine Creek is soon to have a weir installed to allow a census of Eagle Lake fish, it was learned here Thursday. Two biologists from the bureau of fish conservation, division of fish and game, were in the county Wednesday and Thursday to check the flow of water from Pine Creek to eagle Lake.
Harry A. Hansen, district fisheries biologist, and Harry P. Chandler, his assistant, found that the flow which usually starts late in March is already running because of the unseasonably warm weather.
They made the inspection in line with the installation of a weir, or check dam, which is scheduled to go in this season. The purpose of the dam will be to allow a count on the number of fish traveling upstream or coming back downstream. The weir has already been approved and will be installed this season if conditions allow. Otherwise, it will go in next season.
The dam consists of a heavy ‘screen’ or perforated structure across the stream which allows water but no fish to go through. At each end of the dam there is a trap with a one-way entry for fish traveling in the stream; one for those going upstream, and the other for those going downstream.
As soon as enough fish accumulate in the trap, it is raised, the fish are counted, and then the trap is lowered, and a door opens so that the fish can go on their way untouched.
The bureau of fish conservation has registered a protest taking of water from Eagle Lake for irrigation.
