Pend Oreille County lake headed for rehab

July 6, 2011

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will host public meetings July 13-14 to discuss proposed treatments to improve trout broodstock production and trout fishing at Kings Lake in Pend Oreille County.
Public meetings to discuss the rehabilitation proposal are scheduled from 7-9 p.m. on:
• July 13 at the Create Art Center, W900 Fourth St., Newport.
• July 14 at the WDFW’s Eastern Region office, N2315 Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.
WDFW fish biologists propose using rotenone to remove rainbow trout from Kings Lake in Pend Oreille County where the fish are hybridizing with westslope cutthroat trout.
The treatment is needed to maintain the genetic integrity of Kings Lake cutthroat trout, the source of hatchery production for fish stocked throughout the eastern region, said WDFW District Fish Biologist Bill Baker.
After treatment, Kings Lake would be re-stocked with cutthroat but— as a broodstock source—the lake will remain closed to fishing, Baker said.
Rotenone is a naturally-occurring substance derived from the roots of tropical plants. It has been used in lake and stream rehabilitation for more than 60 years by WDFW and other fish and wildlife agencies nationwide. Rotenone is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a fish pesticide, and is regulated in Washington through the state departments of Ecology and Agriculture.
In addition to input received at the public meetings, WDFW will accept written comments on the rehabilitation proposals through Aug. 12. Comments should be addressed to Jim Uehara, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
Final consideration of the proposals by the WDFW director is anticipated in late August. If approved, lake treatments would begin this fall.