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<br />182
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<br />c..'ALU'ORNIA FISH AND (JAME
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<br />FIG, 1f, ~~.lnC' water cre~ted: a w:ide l<pot In a drain ditch in the PalO V"';:'c
<br />Irrigation District. Feb, 1942.'\'~
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<br />;c,olloles" are scoured or plants impede the prog-
<br />",_:will slacken, Bnt sectIOns of many canals are
<br />", .:~~..i~~an,ed to be non-sc~u.ring and. non-silting.
<br />:f,'vY~J;~eve!op wh~re ve~ocIties are ~Igh, and the
<br />.'..~':P!B.llU; 18 sturdIly reSIsted by cuttmg and burn-
<br />";w~re not designed for fish-disappointing 86
<br />.:': en.: Drainage ditches, however, are quite like
<br />rofreilbeing closely lined with vegetation and contain-
<br />;t~~.:>::i::0~,~);.:-': :.::-;: ~
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<br />;~"iti-verAqueduct only 63 miles is open canal the
<br />"'~Uit;tunnel, or siphon. Although the callal po~iOIl
<br />- irs do constitute a great potential :fishinl? area'
<br />, " ~bip . e ,
<br />-~_.._'" .
<br />:.6 anasmneothei-exceptions there remains a roue
<br />.~tches which afford either fair Dr good fishing.
<br />~.1!a~ercan.not be ~alculated without survey, but
<br />.~fOlYe mIght estImat~ that the Yuma Project
<br />1OQ~esof waterway whIch seems suitable for fish
<br />'~.'il;freely permitted in all the irrigation canals,
<br />~'~arged for :fishing on the Colorado River
<br />!;:?~,~:;~f;-~~~:~~~-
<br />~~""most of the common :fishes of the river in most
<br />~'.ther~ are variations. In the Palo Verde Irriga.-
<br />~~i1.~~es !,ere abundant in the angling and hoop-
<br />ereasm the upper portion of the Yuma Mai%:.
<br /><redominated. Comparatively few game :tishei
<br />,~ey,. but residents report catches of large buf
<br />.~here m the Yuma Project. The most deficierr:
<br />
<br />ri
<br />L- f~
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<br />the Col",-"/l1i dams must be viewed. in a favorable light as f'nmpanod ~"\
<br />those dm1~ ItJl western streams WhICh block the run of anadromu\b~"
<br />or dry itJl nil!: lo1:ream bed for many miles below.
<br />
<br />Diverit'o-'"
<br />
<br />1 Cual/l1ll of fisbmg water. Thousands of miles nf ;11'7ifl,.ia) ~'
<br />ways h;r<fi', jit'~n t:reated in a desert land by the irri.gati,n ~,:,,,jt'(,!.!.. a~,
<br />Imperi II , y';dIJ-y alone there are ~bout 2,000 miles of 1;li .1''; ;in.! L.m-~
<br />SmaJIe'te:;<:fkmJ! fl.!,e to be.found m the Yuma Project 1<1]].j.;. thIN rA~
<br />North nilR "riil Gila areas, Palo Verde Irrigation Distrid. lIl1,i C.:k..~:
<br />River f"il/nll H.eservation, The All-American Canal ;~!ll] ;t.; t',~+~
<br />brand) !I/"I 21 () miles in length, and its large,t section i" t'X':I.."j...~ i.!~'
<br />by only f #1/ l.Jt.her canals in the United States-both sLip ";1:~3~ .T"*"
<br />ColorlHl'l It, 'r'j~r Aqueduct stretches for 242 miles and t!()\\,s t h,'JU~5 ~
<br />reserv'rir. "dure terminating in Lake ~IatheVis near Ri\'l'l'"j.k
<br />\VJiI'''' ,h~ above :figures have value in indicatin!: tb' .;]7.<<> and ~
<br />of the C"llffh./lo River canal systems, they can by HI) l;.,',,:b l~ ;~ #:
<br />il1l1iellfly/lllf the amount of :fishing water created. F,,!'! ,.,:,'r,.11S ~..
<br />only n IfHi1fll portion ofthe total extent ofthe main call;l]'; .]1';71(:l1l"5 ~
<br />actunl 'If jillfiCntial :fishing area. .
<br />'flip vdficity of water in some of these eanals i.s t<y) hi~h lD ,Ie
<br />restinl! "lan<1i f.Of :fish. The Ye~ocity in the All-Ameri~an (';1n31 at ~
<br />mum r~f1"W:llY J," from 3 to 3,7? feet per secoud. and 111 n['e!l. ~~
<br />the Co/I"IIJlo River Aqueduct IS about 4,5 feet per >iel:()!l'\' h;i,hd
<br />remnitdll~ IU Iiuch a current fish ,,:ill drop back to be ""ll~t'!ll~::;::
<br />cheek" ","i drops and wherever qmeter water ean be fauJI!,. .\.. ...~,
<br />fishiJll( ii{ '111 In: or less confined to such points.
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