Taken together, the Valais streams network covers more than 8,000 km, including:

• 6,000 km of wild rivers and torrents
• 2000 km of bisses (small irrigation streams)
• 160 km of Rhône from glacier to Lake Geneva
• 150 km of drainage canals

The total surface area of Valais lakes is around 36.1 km2.

The following map shows all the waters in the canton that can be fished. These include the Rhône, over 90 streams, some 30 lakes, 6 ponds and some 50 canals.

In the Valais, the history of water and the history of people have been closely linked since time immemorial.

To irrigate the dry, arid slopes of our mountains, our ancestors devised and built ingenious irrigation systems, often under perilous conditions. Via the ‘bisses’, they transported water from glaciers and torrents to their fields and meadows. Each village resident had a specific right to use the water. If anyone failed to comply, they were dishonored and ostracized from the community.

The Rhône valley had no such worries; however, vast marshes populated by disease-carrying insects covered the plain. In order to gain farmland on the plains and protect against flooding, the Rhône was corrected on numerous occasions.

The construction of hydroelectric power plants brought economic development to the Valais. At the same time, however, profound ecological changes were affecting sensitive streams.

Dam spillways, power station induced tidal movements and low residual flows were altering the living environment of fish species. These events lead to bitter discussions between the authorities, dam operators and sportfishers.

We fishermen want to work constructively to find reasonable compromises between the demands of the environment and the economy!