Empty Jiggs Reservoir south of Elko to receive much needed attention
For nearly five years Jiggs Reservoir, approximately 30 miles south of Elko, has been a reservoir in name only with no water to speak of. However, the Nevada Department of Wildlife in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, Elko County, Barrick, Newmont and private landowners is now in the process of improving this once popular reservoir and dam so that it will once again hold water.
“The dam, which was built more than 100 years ago, is in poor shape due to burrowing animals and vegetation growth,” explains Jeff Petersen, NDOW fisheries biologist. “The bottom of the reservoir also needs to be fixed because of seepage due to soil types.”
According to Petersen, the top layer of the dam will be removed and the whole structure will then be rebuilt. Three acres of the reservoir bottom next to the dam will be deepened and bentonite clay will be mixed into the soil. Bentonite is a natural clay that is fast expanding and holds water very well. This should solve the problem of water seeping through the bottom of the reservoir.
“We couldn’t have done this without a lot of help from a variety of sources,” says Petersen. “Money was donated by Newmont and Barrick, as well as the Gund Ranch, Elko County and NDOW. Joe Cumming, the landowner across the highway from the reservoir, has provided equipment and manpower to help with the project as well.”
In the past, this small reservoir was thought to be more quiet and “kid friendly” than South Fork Reservoir, just a few miles away. It held bass, bluegill and rainbow trout, with the bluegill providing easy fishing for young and old alike in a quiet setting far removed from the hustle and bustle of the larger lakes with their big power boats and fast moving personal watercraft.
According to Petersen, once the work is done this fall, it will once again be stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill and rainbow trout. Of course this all depends upon Mother Nature cooperating and providing the moisture over the winter to fill the lake.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license.
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