It’s happening again – a salvage order lifting all bag, possession and size limits on a specified water to allow people to catch all the fish there before they die, due to drought and poor runoff. This time, it’s for the Big Wood River below the Richfield Canal headgate, and the Richfield Canal itself. Starting July 1 – Monday – anyone with a valid Idaho fishing license will be allowed to catch as many fish as they want there. Idaho Fish & Game says, “Fish may be taken by any method except firearms, explosives, chemicals or electric current.”

The salvage order covers the Big Wood River downstream from the Richfield Canal Diversion, the Richfield Canal downstream to the Gooding County line and the Richfield and Lincoln Canal systems. The Magic Reservoir Dam was shut off June 27, Fish & Game reports, as demand for irrigation water exceeded the reservoir capacity, leading to the falling water levels in the river and canals.