Utah Division of Wildlife Resources personnel have completed a chemical treatment of Panguitch Lake to eradicate an abundance of chubs that have harmed trout fishing in recent years.
The treatment project on the 1,200-acre lake and its tributaries in western Garfield County began Tuesday and required 55,000 pounds of powdered rotenone, a chemical that paralyzes gills in fish so that they can't obtain needed oxygen for survival. It is not harmful to birds, mammals or humans, but officials said the public will be prohibited from salvaging the fish.Plans also call for breaching beaver dams with explosives along the lower Blue Springs Creek and Clear Creek to allow rapid flow of the chemical through the drainage.
The lake will be restocked with 140,000 seven-inch rainbow trout. It will be reopened to fishing next year, probably for the Memorial Day weekend.
In 1986, Panguitch Lake had the second highest use per acre among 18 of the most heavily used fishing lakes in Utah, the DWR reported. It was last treated to rid it of unwanted non-game fish in 1973.