LAKE ALMANOR TROUT PEN PROJECT

In 2007 Kokanee Power entered into an ownership and maintenance agreement with the Almanor Fishing Association for the existing trout pens. The trout pens at Lake Almanor have been in existence for 18 years and were in need of funding due to delayed and reduced funding capabilities from the California Department of Fish and Game. Kokanee Power stepped up to offer financial and volunteer assistance going forward.

Kokanee Power supplies 15,000 plus pounds of food each year in addition to the ongoing maintenance costs for 10 trout pens. Local volunteers from the Almanor Fishing Association take care of the feeding activities to insure the fish are cared for over the winter through the rain, ice and snow. Over 50,000 Eagle Lake strain Rainbows are raised annually and released after they have fattened up over the winter. A complete Photo Gallery of the pens on the lake can be found on the Almanor Fish Cage Rearing Program page.

Recently a detailed article Kokanee Power and Almanor Fishing Association Partnership was written in the 2009 Almanor Fishing Association Newsletter. Please click on the above link to read the full article on page 4 of the Newsletter as well as other great Lake Almanor articles concerning the region.

Kokanee Power's involvement in this project has been ongoing since 2007 and there have been a series of important maintenance activities listed below.

Fall 2007 - Initial Commitment with Board approval to take on the Lake Almanor pen responsibilities for maintenance and ongoing food requirements. August 2008 - Assessment of repairs and enhancements from KP Directors Al Millan and Randy Bergquist which included the recommendations for: -- Rivet replacements on pens -- Spacers around pens to raise them higher to prevent winter snow from sinking the pens. -- A storage fence to be built to keep supplies and food. September 2008 – Completion of storage yard & fencing required for the storage of valuable equipment, food and supplies needed for the maintenance of the Almanor trou pens. October 2008 - KP Director Randy Bergquist, Nelsen Money and 10 Almanor volunteers worked on previously identified repairs to the docks in preparation for the incoming trout delivered days after the work was complete. September 2009 - Underwater repairs and new floats purchased for the pens in preparation for the 2009 trout allotment delivery. October 2009 -- 2 - 125lb feeders were purchased to replace ones that expired. -- Delivery of 15,000 pounds of fish food -- Delivery of 50,000 Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout Summer 2010 - Full on repairs of the pens occurred after funding for the project was in place through cooperative efforts with the AFA and Project Kokanee which donated $7,500.00 towards this effort. The cages were removed by crane and platforms moved to a refurbishing area. Volunteers of the Almanor Fishing Association supplied a lot of the hard work in the repair process. All but two were repaired and are back in the water holding trout to be release in Spring 2011. Photos supplied by Paul Garrido, Treasurer of the AFA can be found here on the Kokanee Power Facebook page. 2010 Almanor Pen Repair Photos The pen repair and maintenance effort will be ongoing in coming years and we depend on your continued support through membership and derby participation to help fund this and all of the other projects.

Many of the Kokanee Power projects are documented in our Photo Galleries, Message Forums or Facebook where you can see and read first hand reports of many of these events. For other Trout Pen Projects please refer back to Lake Pen Projects Page

For more information, contact us at info@kokaneepower.org