Outdoor Notes : Mill Creek’s Vanishing Water Is Back

The case of the disappearing stream hasn’t been solved, but the water has mysteriously reappeared and that’s good enough for the Department of Fish and Game.

The DFG has planted trout in Mill Creek, a small stream in the San Bernardino National Forest east of Redlands, for the first time in several years and plans to continue planting it through the early summer.

The creek has been dry for most of the last two years and had been scratched from the list of planting waters, but water is running there now.

“It may be that the water was diverted by someone upstream for a while, or perhaps there is just more runoff this year,” said Don Von Allmen, manager of the Mojave River hatchery in Victorville.

“Whatever the reason, there is plenty of water there now, according to our plant-truck driver. We planted it two weeks ago . . . with 100 pounds of catchable-size rainbow trout.”

Planting is being done near the communities of Forest Home and Fallsvale.

The annual volunteer trash cleanup day for upper Newport Bay is scheduled May 17.

“Everything from foam cups to bathtubs gets washed up into that bay each year,” said Carl Wilcox, DFG biologist for the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve.

Wilcox said that storms and ocean currents push tons of debris through the bay and that trash collects throughout the 800-acre reserve. “Not only is it an eyesore, it causes extensive damage to marsh vegetation and bird habitat,” he added.

Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. May 17 at the Newport beach YMCA, 2300 University Dr. For additional information, call (714) 675-6855.

Briefly James St. Amant, a fisheries biologist for the DFG for 31 years, will receive the Chevron Conservation award May 22 at a dinner in Washington, D.C. The award is one of only 10 being given nationwide this year. . . . More than 700 of the country’s best shooters will compete in the 26th U.S. International meet June 15-28 at the Prado Tiro ranges, site of the 1984 Olympic shooting events. Competition in the rifle, pistol, shotgun and running-game target events will help determine the makeup of the 1986 U.S. shooting team that will compete in the 44th World shoot in East Germany in September. . . . Author-fisherman Rick Hafele will talk on the important insect hatches at the Sierra Pacific Flyfishers’ meeting May 15 at the Nob Hill Banquet Center in Van Nuys. . . . Showtime: Budweiser Shooting and Hunting Sports Fair, May 16-18, Raahauge’s Pheasant Club, Corona.