Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Cluff Pond #3 fully reopened to the public on Monday, June 17. The pond offers catch-and-release fishing of multiple species of fish and expects to restock with trout next spring.
Cluff Pond #3 has officially reopened with catch-and-release fish
By Jon Johnson
CLUFF POND #3 – What began as a temporary suspension of Rainbow trout stocking in November 2020 to take advantage of low water levels and replace a dam valve but led to the drainage and closure of the pond for years has now come full circle as the refurbished Cluff Pond #3 fully reopened to the public on Monday, June 17.
The pond has undergone extensive renovation and habitat creation for fish and other animals. In April, a youth service project involving more than 300 local area youths and several leaders spearheaded by the Pima Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cleaned up the area and rehabbed a trail that winds all the way around the pond.
The refilling of the pond had stalled awaiting a permanent replacement valve as the first valve was faulty.
According to the Game & Fish Department, the pond still needs about 6 to 8 more feet of water added to it before it is considered full. Before that time, some of the aquatic habitat structures will be just under the surface of the water or exposed and the Game & Fish Department asks that you take care to not disturb them while boating or recreating.
The pond has been stocked with Redear sunfish, Bluegill, Catfish, and Grass Carp for catch and release only. The pond is catch and release for all fish except trout, which will be stocked this winter. Bass will also be stocked in the spring of 2025.
In addition to outdoor recreation, Cluff Pond #3 will help prevent flooding and could be used to fill the other ponds for increased animal habitat.
If you go, the Game & Fish Department implores those to be considerate and dispose of trash in the appropriate dumpsters in the parking lot or northwest corner of the pond.
How to get there: From Pima, take Main Street south from Highway 70. The road turns into 1200 South as it curves at Ferrin’s Corner and heads westward. From 1200 South, turn south on Cluff Ranch Road. After a few miles, the pavement gives way to a graded dirt road for the final few miles.
There is no cost for day use.
Recent history of Cluff Pond #3
Arizona Game & Fish has been working on the area since the Frye Fire in the summer of 2017 burned the Ash Creek drainage and subsequent floods damaged the water delivery system. While the drainage was repaired over the next few years, a temporary diversion in Ash Creek lower down the creek was utilized, but the water volume was less than previously.
Then the drought of 2020 stopped the water flow of Ash Creek and caused Pond #3 to drop very low. At that point, the decision was made to drain the pond and replace the valve, according to Pelto. Unfortunately, when the draining began, workers found sediment had accumulated to the point where it buried the valve. Dredging was proposed as the solution, but that forced an additional round of environmental assessments.
The dredging work was completed in the spring of 2022 and additional earthen structures were created to improve the aquatic habitat, according to Game & Fish. Additionally, a large dirt pad was made northwest of the pond to become future campsites.
A replacement valve first arrived in July 2022, but it was found to be missing a piece that needed to be custom-made and took an additional 20 weeks to be created and arrive.
While waiting for the valve, workers installed new aquatic habitat structures in the pond, and an extensive cleanup was completed. Additionally, 760 feet of the pipeline that delivers water to Pond #3 from Ash Creek was replaced and the temporary diversion was rebuilt, making Pond #3’s water delivery system functional again.
