BPA funds Klickitat Hatchery modernization project

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BPA funds Klickitat Hatchery modernization project

October 22, 2024

Representatives from the Yakama Nation, BPA, NOAA, BIA, Washington State and Klickitat County gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, Oct. 11 near Glenwood, Wash.

BPA ratepayer dollars support the modernization of a 75-year-old hatchery on the Klickitat River in Washington. Once complete, the renovations will allow for the release of 200,000 additional spring chinook salmon annually.

Earlier this month the Yakama Nation hosted BPA staff and representatives of other federal and state agencies to kick off its two-and-a-half-year construction project to modernize the 75-year-old Klickitat Hatchery near Glenwood, Wash.

The Klickitat Hatchery was originally constructed in 1949 on Washington's Klickitat River and is operated by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation to rear spring and fall Chinook as well as late-run coho salmon. BPA is spending roughly $35 million to upgrade several components of the hatchery still operating with 75-year-old equipment. That project is focused on improving the spring Chinook population, with plans to increase juvenile production from 600,000 to 800,000 annually. The hatchery's total release of fish including spring and fall Chinook and late-run coho salmon, are projected to be 6.8 million fish annually following the completion of the BPA-funded improvements.

"BPA is funding the upgrades to enable the Yakama to move from exclusively using hatchery-raised fish for broodstock to incorporate natural-origin broodstock," said Jason Sweet, executive manager of BPA's fish and wildlife program. "By integrating natural origin broodstock, we expect to see greater fitness, production and survival of these salmonids."

The capital improvements help to fulfill commitments BPA made in the 2008 Columbia Basin Fish Accords Memorandum of Agreement and its subsequent extensions. The project is part of BPA's ongoing efforts to mitigate the effects of the Federal Columbia River Power System on fish and wildlife in the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries.

Attendees of the Hatchery groundbreaking ceremony were treated to Native American songs, prayers, traditional foods and the sounds of the nearby rushing river.

"A wonderful day - the sun bearing witness, birds singing, as everyone was there to celebrate with the tribe for 20 years of holding the hatchery together," said Yakama Nation chairman Gerald Lewis. "The tribe never gave up on our resource of Spring Salmon, Steelhead, Coho and Lamprey. Now with the Fish Accord Agreement, BPA and the Yakama Nation have come together to rebuild the aging hatchery to better support fisheries across the Northwest."

Construction on the upgrades at Klickitat Hatchery began in September and include:

• Improving spring water intakes, discharge piping, and a river pumping station
• Rebuilding the pollution abatement system
• Adding circular rearing tanks and a chemical storage building
• Updating the existing fish ladder and spawning and adult holding infrastructure

Work on the upgrades is expected to be completed in June of 2026 with the first yearlings released from the upgraded facilities in May of 2027.

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