Yuba Reservoir in central Utah has long been subject to boom and bust cycles. In boom times, it's far and away the best perch/walleye lake in Utah. The reservoir's fat walleyes and jumbo perch feast on the perch forage base and eventually wipe them out. Then the walleyes starve to death. The boom cycles last five or six years and bust cycles last 10 to 12 years.
In the last several years, RMA, B.A.S.S. and others have helped the DWR try to smooth out these cycles by providing habitat for perch through the Yuba Habitat Project. Now the fishery is facing a different sort of problem.
RMAs have known for some time that Yuba was being drained this year for dam repairs, but how long and how much it would impact the reservoir wasn’t known. How the Yuba Habitat Project would proceed, the impacts on the reservoir and what could be done to speed Yuba’s recovery were discussed at two meetings of the Yuba Habitat Committee on April 17 and May 8, 2003.
The April 17 meeting
The details were firmed up and presented at the April 17 meeting . As the plan stands now, Yuba will be gradually drained through the summer. According to the water users, Yuba should be empty by August 15, 2003, and begin refilling about 1-1/2 months later around October 1.
The dam repairs, which have been mandated by the state, include a new outlet structure with guard gate, a seismic stabilization berm and riprap on the upstream face. It was originally hoped that a smaller, secondary dam would be built uplake from the dam to retain some water and some fish. However, the water users informed the committee that funding was not available. They did, however, say they would be in favor of a secondary dam if the DWR could find the money to build one. After much discussion, it was decided that the expense and time required to build a secondary dam would most likely be prohibitive, not to mention dealing with the muck at the bottom of the reservoir to anchor it. Don Wiley of the DWR Central Region was going to explore using DWR construction crews and report on it at the May 8 meeting.
What this means is that what is left of the Yuba fishery will be lost and will have to be started from scratch after the lake starts filling again. Plans are to replant the reservoir with perch as soon as possible after the work is completed and then with walleye at a later date.
The May 8 Meeting
At the May 8 meeting, Wiley reported that a secondary dam could be built by DWR construction crews in about a week near the island in the narrows. After considering the costs and the benefits that would be realized, the committee decided that it was better to spend the money and effort on replanting perch after October 1 when the reservoir started refilling. Clyde Bunker of the water users reported that the water levels are dropping already and are about a week ahead of what they anticipated this year. He also said they anticipated little to no runoff this spring because of the drought.
After some research, Wiley found a source in Arkansas that could provide 100,000 yellow perch that could be delivered to the reservoir in mid October for $40,000. This would provide a good start on bringing the fishery back. Committee members and others will be researching funding sources and working through DWR channels. It is likely that perch would be planted for two to three years before attempting to plant walleyes, but there is a possibility that enough walleyes will make it through to repopulate the reservoir by then without outside help. There was discussion on trying to get some rainbow trout to plant to provide a fishery in the meantime.
Impacts of Draining the Reservoir
Because of the impacts to the fishery, an emergency order has been signed by DWR Chief Kevin Conway increasing bag limits. Effective May 19, daily limits on Yuba will be increased to 12 walleye, 12 northern pike, 16 channel catfish, 8 trout and 20 yellow perch. Then, from August 15 through December 31, 2003, the reservoir and river within the high water line of the reservoir will be closed to all fishing. It is likely that the closure will extend past December 31.
In spite of the obvious negative effects to the fishery, the state park and the local businesses who profit economically from Yuba’s anglers, there are a few good points. First, the fishery is near the bottom of a down cycle and the loss of fish and fishing will be as minimal as it can get. Wiley pointed out that the adult walleye population decreased from 21,000 adult fish in 2001 to about 5,000 in 2002. If the reservoir had been drained five years ago when the fishery was hitting its peak, it would have been a disaster to anglers.
Second, the drained lake will add another season of growth for brush growing along the shoreline and below the water line, which will provide a great benefit to the perch as the reservoir refills. Yuba State Park Ranger Chris Evans said at the April 17 meeting that state parks would prohibit ATVs below the high water line and enforce the ban to protect this brush. Anything that helps the perch also benefits the lake’s walleyes that use the perch as forage.
Third, draining the reservoir will knock back the numbers of carp, although this benefit will likely be temporary.
Bunker and Anderson made it clear to the committee that the water users share the opinion of the anglers when it comes to draining the reservoir. They don't like it either. Unfortunately, the state leaves no choice but to make these safety-related improvements to the dam. The information they provided the committee has been invaluable.
The water users also expressed their support and interest in the ongoing efforts to create yellow perch habitat in the reservoir. In recent years, RMA and B.A.S.S. have joined forces with the DWR Central Region and other parties to enhance habitat. The biggest concern, they said, was that habitat structures would break loose and interfere with the reservoir’s outlet structure, which has not happened. The DWR Central Region monitors all habitat structures in Yuba on a regular basis.
President Wes Schneider, Will Jefferies, Terry Opheikens and Ray Schelble have represented RMA on the committee. Anyone with any questions or concerns is encouraged to contact these committee participants. Representatives from B.A.S.S., the DWR Central Region and Salt Lake office, Utah State Parks, Yuba water users and the consulting firm of Bowen, Collins and Associates also participated.
In another activity related to the Yuba Habitat Project, six artificial Christmas trees were planted in Deer Creek’s Rainbow Bay on April 29. The trees were from two trailer loads purchased on closeout from K-Mart with funds provided by RMA and the Habitat Council. Because Deer Creek offers better water clarity than Yuba, the trees can be better observed to get some documentation of how well they work and how well they hold up. Mike Slater and Richard Hepworth from the DWR Central Region assembled the trees and came up on a windy day to install them. RMAs Will Jefferies and Ray Schelble met them at the reservoir and got in a little fishing, too. (Not much catching, though.)
Another Yuba Habitat Committee meeting will be held on June 9 to discuss further details, what can be done to best take advantage of the empty reservoir and how to proceed to re-establish the fishery.
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