Fish kill at Green Peter Reservoir

[oraca]

Well it seems that the army cor has put the death notice for all the fish in Green Peter Reservoir. We went up to look at the lake level on Saturday the 7 th. We were wondering why all the cars were parked along the road. It seems that theay were looking at the result of the deepest draw down we have seen in over 25 years of fishing gp. What do you think would happen when the water is so turbid. It seems that it will drop lower yet to further ad to the die off. i noticed that gp has been removed from the forums, why not put in a death notice instead? WHAT A SHAME!!

 

[rogerdodger]

the drawdown is court ordered to increase waterflow during the months when that waterflow helps juvenile spring chinook and steelhead move through the Santium system...

https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Medi...-deep-drawdowns-at-green-peter-lookout-point/

 

[305to503fishermen]

Agreed Roger, the was court ordered. The Corp had no choice but to do the drawdown. Maybe there should be more research on what will happen to the native fish population at these lakes.

 

[rogerdodger]

problem is that these are reservoirs created by the dams, so 'native fish' in them is an interesting concept. Kokanee are native to Oregon but certainly not in the Santiam river before being planted after the dams went in.

I think the 'true' native anadromous fish, that used the river before and have been negatively impacted by the dams (and many other things for sure) definitely take priority over the fish planted in the reservoirs after they filled with water (kokanee, rainbows, plus non-native bass...).

 

[troutdude]

Here is the newspaper article...

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/st...ie-off-green-peter-dam-reservoir/71123245007/

 

[ScottS]

Agreed Roger, the was court ordered. The Corp had no choice but to do the drawdown. Maybe there should be more research on what will happen to the native fish population at these lakes.

Unfortunately Kokanee are not considered native. Neither are bass. Hopefully their court mandated actions will not kill off these good fisheries.

 

[rogerdodger]

just adding some clarification- kokanee are considered native to Oregon but those would have been in natural lakes. kokanee in man-made reservoirs are introduced after the dams are built. so it is correct to say they are not native to the river before the dam, whereas the salmon and steelhead were using the river(s) for spawning, hatching, growing into smolts, and migrating, before the dam(s).

 

[ScottS]

I don’t like seeing the die off of the Kokanee at gp but there might be a silver lining. By reducing pressure on the food for Kokanee there may be fewer but they may be larger. The small size of Kokanee at gp has kept me from chasing them.

 

[ScottS]

Good clarification @rogerdodger

 

[Tony9741]

If I caught and kept one too many trout or Kokanee or was to waste any game fish, the state police would be all over me for breaking the law.
I’m aware of the game laws as well as most sportsman. And in breaking that law the extra fish would be worth a fine, $25, $50 . .
So who’s going to pay the going price for the thousands of destroyed Kokanee with the draw of Green Peter? Who’s going to pay for the damage to Foster Lake fishery? The native fish society? How about the judge who couldn’t foresee ANY of his actions by ruling as he did. The people who are directly responsible for this huge, unnecessary die off should be coughing up the funds for these dead fish. But no, let’s just point more fingers and hang the sports fishermen with these consequences.

 

[Admin]

Good question.

 

[rogerdodger]

If I caught and kept one too many trout or Kokanee or was to waste any game fish, the state police would be all over me for breaking the law.
I’m aware of the game laws as well as most sportsman. And in breaking that law the extra fish would be worth a fine, $25, $50 . .
So who’s going to pay the going price for the thousands of destroyed Kokanee with the draw of Green Peter? Who’s going to pay for the damage to Foster Lake fishery? The native fish society? How about the judge who couldn’t foresee ANY of his actions by ruling as he did. The people who are directly responsible for this huge, unnecessary die off should be coughing up the funds for these dead fish. But no, let’s just point more fingers and hang the sports fishermen with these consequences.

I'm find interesting the concept of drawing a comparison between the fine for violating the fishing regulations with the 'value' of a species that was introduced after the dams were built (kokanee) and in doing so, overlooking the 'value' of species that are native to the Santium/Willamette system (spring chinook and steelhead).

A decision was made that action (the drawdowns) designed to benefit the native fish (who have been damaged by the dams), outweigh the damage to the non-native kokanee population (that exist only because of the dams) and I'm not sure how that "points more fingers and hangs the sports fishermen with these consequences". there are lots of other lakes in Oregon that are full of kokanee, it's not like they are wiping out the species from the state.

 

[troutdude]

I'm find interesting the concept of drawing a comparison between the fine for violating the fishing regulations with the 'value' of a species that was introduced after the dams were built (kokanee) and in doing so, overlooking the 'value' of species that are native to the Santium/Willamette system (spring chinook and steelhead).

A decision was made that action (the drawdowns) designed to benefit the native fish (who have been damaged by the dams), outweigh the damage to the non-native kokanee population (that exist only because of the dams) and I'm not sure how that "points more fingers and hangs the sports fishermen with these consequences". there are lots of other lakes in Oregon that are full of kokanee, it's not like they are wiping out the species from the state.

All very good points Roger D.

My personal concern is the resulting destruction of the bass fishery, that was awesome in GP. As well as the trout fishery. I wonder if the powers that be have plans to refill GP (at least to some depth); and restock those fisheries?

 

[rogerdodger]

All very good points Roger D.

My personal concern is the resulting destruction of the bass fishery, that was awesome in GP. As well as the trout fishery. I wonder if the powers that be have plans to refill GP (at least to some depth); and restock those fisheries?

my guess is yes on the trout and kokanee but a big NO on bass, as these are not native to Oregon and have a negative impact on our native anadromous fish.

 

[Snopro]

Don't worry, Jonny Bass Seed will go commando. Wandering Walter Walleye won't be far behind. Who cares about ODFW regulations.

 

[rogerdodger]

in fact, if the drawdowns take out a vast number of the warm water species from the system, that would be a great outcome for spring salmon and steelhead..

from 2021:
https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/...onsumers-salmon-reservoirs-researchers-find-0

"They found that walleye, by far, were most likely to have juvenile salmon in their stomachs. In the early time period (March-June), 18.5% of walleye had salmon in their stomach contents. In the later period (July-August), 15.8% did. They were the only fish species in the later period that had salmon in their stomach.
Other predators in the early period with salmon in their stomachs were largemouth bass (5.7%), white crappie (3.1%) and then native northern pikeminnow (0.6%). The black crappie, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and yellow bullhead studied during both time periods had no salmon in their stomachs."

 

[troutdude]

my guess is yes on the trout and kokanee but a big NO on bass, as these are not native to Oregon and have a negative impact on our native anadromous fish.

The bass situation really bums me out. I just got hooked up, a couple of years ago, with a VERY good bass fisherman. He and I have made several trips to both GP and Foster; for C & R bassin'.

 

[Troutski]

Don't worry, Jonny Bass Seed will go commando. Wandering Walter Walleye won't be far behind. Who cares about ODFW regulations.

Pocket biologist have been and will always be the people’s department of fisheries..

 

[rogerdodger]

Don't worry, Jonny Bass Seed will go commando. Wandering Walter Walleye won't be far behind. Who cares about ODFW regulations.

Pocket biologist have been and will always be the people’s department of fisheries..

perhaps the only fishing related violation that comes with a felony...
-----------------------------------------
ORS 498.222 Transportation or release of fish without permit prohibited.
(1)No person shall:
(a)Transport any live fish unless the person has first obtained a permit therefor from the State Fish and Wildlife Commission.
(b)Release or attempt to release into any body of water any live fish that was not taken from that body of water, unless the person has first obtained a permit therefor from the commission.

Violation of subsection (1)(b) of this section is:
(a) A Class C felony if the violation is committed intentionally or knowingly.

Plus: revocation of angling licenses and tags and suit for recovery of damages

-----------------------------------------

https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_498.222

 

[Snopro]

I wonder if ORS 498.222 has ever been used? I have a feeling it's still in the original collectible box. I wish they had unwrapped it for the idiots planting ditch pickles in Davis and CP.