Work for Fish and Game officers charged with salvaging Canterbury's struggling trout population is showing no signs of drying up.

Thousands of fish have been moved from shallow pools to deeper catchments over the past few weeks, as river levels drop after an extensive fine spell.

Fish and Game field officer Dirk Barr says the conditions are so bad, they've salvaged trout in the Waipara River for the first time ever.

"What we've found this year is that there are new areas or stretch of rivers that are drying in places that don't simply they usually hold through the summer months."

Dirk Barr doubts the Waipara will be the last stretch of river they have to salvage if the drought continues.