Pelican Lake Update

The treatment of Pelican Lake to remove invasive Carp has been postponed until fall of 2018. 

The treatment project, was unfortunately, tied to other parts of the Pelican Lake project; and because funding for those components hasn't been solidified yet, the decision was made to put it off another year.  This decision was made in the Salt Lake Office of the DWR. 

Other parts of the Pelican program included an upper fish screen which entailed engineering and then construction.  A lower (outlet) fish screen, which we were stuck with because the irrigation company wouldn't sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the upper fish screen.  This part also required engineering and construction with a total estimated project cost of around $205,000.  Another part was angler access improvements which included improvements on the North end as well as dredging boat lanes by the campground (this was my lowest priority). 

The absolute worst part of this project is the sediment removal and barrier project.  Now I say the worst, because the problem wasn't caused by anglers, it is the most expensive piece, and it is the one that is waiting for the funding partners to commit (thereby holding up the treatment).  The irrigation company, through neglect and gross mismanagement has punched 907,000 cubic yards of sediment into Pelican.  This created a huge delta on the North end and has reduced the water capacity of Pelican.  If left unchecked, Pelican will cease to exist as a Bass and Bluegill fishery within 20 years.  I also suspect that they are the reason there are so many Carp in Pelican (a flood event).

It would be an absolute shame if we lost Pelican.  It is one of the two (Mantua being the other) heavy cover Bass fisheries we have.

I'll keep posting as information becomes available.

George