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from the El Dorado Irrigation District
Caples Lake fills, fish restocking commences
July 2, 2009 -- Placerville, CA . . . One year after the El Dorado Irrigation District (district) Board of Directors declared an emergency to repair the outlet works at the Caples Lake main dam, the lake’s water level is nearly full and an ambitious fish restocking program is well underway. Visitors will find the full array of outdoor recreation activities—hiking, camping, fishing, photography, wildlife viewing, and more—that they are used to at the lake and in the surrounding area.
Ample snow and rain over the winter and spring combined to fill Caples, contrary to most predictions that precipitation would fall short of what was needed after last fall’s drawdown left only 753 acre-feet of water in the lake. The overall capacity is 22,340 acre-feet. On July 1, 2009, reservoir storage stood at 21,760 acre-feet.
The drawdown was necessary to complete emergency repairs to the outlet works.
As the lake level dropped during the drawdown last summer, the California Department of Fish and Game led two fish rescues in coordination with volunteers from the Sacramento/Sierra Chapter of Trout Unlimited, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, and EID staff. Ultimately, an estimated 26,000 adult fish and fingerlings were captured and released into nearby Silver and Red lakes. Based upon winter and spring fishing reports, it is evident a portion of the remaining fishery survived over the winter in the lake.
Last year the district’s board committed to fund a 10-year fish restocking program approved by Fish and Game. The program, which began in late May, included the release of 9,000 pounds of trophy-size rainbow trout on June 24. Releases of catchable brown, rainbow, brook, and fingerling lake trout will continue through September.
Caples Lake—located on scenic Highway 88 south of Lake Tahoe at more than 7900 feet in elevation—is one of four high-alpine reservoirs that are part of the district’s hydroelectric power generation system. The other reservoirs are Silver Lake, also along Highway 88, and Echo Lake and Lake Aloha, both at high elevations north of Highway 50 and west of Lake Tahoe.