Warning sounded for Sierra lake fish

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- A popular Sierra lake's trophy-sized fish are threatened by a drastic drawdown of its water level needed for dam repairs.

Caples Lake along Highway 88, west of Carson Pass, will be lowered from a depth of 54 feet to 11 feet to allow crews to replace two aging gates on the lake's main dam.

The El Dorado Irrigation District, which bought rights to Caples Lake from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in 1999, said the drawdown will continue into September to allow repairs to be completed this fall.

"The last thing we want to do is draw down the lake during the recreation season," said Tom Gallier, irrigation district general manager.

"But we are responsible for safe operation of the two dams at the lake, and the badly deteriorated slide gates at the main dam must be replaced for us to do that," he said.

John Voss, owner of Caples Lake Resort, is concerned about the effect of the drawdown on fish and boaters. Mackinaw, German brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout, some exceeding 30 inches, will have to compete for space.

"The Caples Lake fishery may be destroyed," Voss told the Record-Courier of Gardnerville.

Voss wants to know who is obligated to protect the fishery and the tourist economy.

"What is the plan and what is the cost to save the doomed fishery and who will pay for it?" he asked. "It will take 40 years for the Mackinaw to reach the 26-pound, 39-inch size they are now."

Irrigation district officials insisted they're trying their best to mitigate effects.

They're considering various alternatives, including construction of a temporary "bladder" dam to hold water and sustain the fishery during construction and the winter.

But California Department of Fish and Game officials were unsure about the effectiveness of a temporary dam structure, an irrigation district spokeswoman said.