Sedimentation in Hot Creek in vicinity of Hot Creek Fish Hatchery, Mono County, California

An accumulation of fine-grained sediment in Hot Creek downstream from Hot Creek Fish Hatchery created concern that the site may be deteriorating as a habitat for trout. The accumulation is a phenomenon that probably occurs naturally in the problem reach. Fluctuation in the weather probably is the basic cause of the deposition of fine-grained sediment that has occurred since about 1970. Man's activities and the Hot Creek Fish Hatchery may have contributed to the problem; the significance of these factors, however, probably was magnified because of drought conditions in 1975-77.