CHELAN, Wash. – Significant flooding to fish hatcheries across Washington this month challenged hatchery staff in maintaining operations and protecting fish life.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff worked tirelessly before, during and after the flooding to ensure safety and facility functionality.
Before flooding, hatchery staff tested backup power systems. As waters rose, they monitored weather and river flow, cleaned debris from intake screens and adjusted sluiceways to bypass floodwaters. Staff also removed sediment from incubation trays to ensure fish eggs remained safe.
During these events, staff at the Chiwawa Hatchery in Chelan County spent nights in the bunkhouse to manage the situation as water levels rose around the intake, adult trap and weir.
As the waters receded, staff assessed damage and began cleaning up debris left behind at the Dryden Pond Hatchery’s adult fish traps on the Wenatchee River. Similarly, debris accumulated at the entryway to the fish elevator at the Sunset Falls Fishway on the South Fork Skykomish River in Snohomish County.
WDFW said these efforts ensured that facilities continued to run smoothly and fish remained in good condition.
