troutdude
Moderator
September 16, 2020
SALEM, Ore.—Despite the unprecedented wildfires and evacuation of six ODFW-managed fish hatcheries, millions of fish at these facilities remain alive with hatchery staff returning as they are able to care for fish and even spawn spring Chinook during a critical time in their life cycle.
Most importantly, no lives were lost among ODFW hatchery staff and their families who had to evacuate. Unfortunately, some critical infrastructure and fish were lost, with Rock Creek Hatchery on the North Umpqua River sustaining the most severe damage followed by Klamath, Leaburg, and Minto.
With the permission of authorities managing fires, some ODFW staff have been returning periodically to even Level 3 evacuation areas on a limited basis to keep fish at the hatchery alive (by assuring that water is flowing, feeding fish, controlling debris, fueling generators, etc.) and to perform other critical tasks such as spawning spring Chinook.
Rock Creek sustained the most severe damage of all hatcheries. With the exception of the Rock Ed Education Center, all buildings and employee housing were either destroyed or severely damaged by the Archie Creek Fire. Staff access has been more limited than at other facilities due a number of hazards around the site including downed trees and power lines. Some hazards were eliminated to allow staff to get in today (Sept. 16), remove about 700 remaining adult spring Chinook and summer steelhead and move them to Cole Rivers Hatchery with the intent to spawn and collect enough eggs to meet Rock Creek’s production goals. Staff estimates 400,000 juvenile fish were lost and although the extent of fish loss is currently unknown, we expect to know more later this week. The site remains at Evacuation Level 3.
At Leaburg Hatchery, staff who were evacuated from the hatchery and their homes at 2 am. on Sept. 8 due to the Holiday Farm fire returned later in the morning to release approximately 1.16 million fish on site into the McKenzie River as the hatchery lost water. Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) was forced to open the Leaburg Dam rollgates as a precaution as debris from the fire could come down the river and clog or overtop the dam, which dewatered Leaburg Lake and the hatchery. “Those fish would not have survived very long without new incoming fresh water,” said Erik Withalm, Leaburg hatchery manager. “We pulled tail screens to get fish out as quickly as we could before evacuating again as the fire approached. Fortunately, structures at the facility sustained only minor damage with only the wellhouse and a tractor burning.”
Most of the fish released from Leaburg (yearling spring Chinook, summer steelhead and rainbow trout) are expected to survive after spending the next few months in the river. The spring Chinook and summer steelhead that were released will then head downstream to the ocean as part of their natural life cycle with some eventually returning to the hatchery in 2-4 years. The rainbow trout will stay in the river and continue to provide a fishing opportunity for anglers. Some fish on site that were meant for release in another basin (Rock Creek spring and fall Chinook and summer steelhead) were not released and died on site as under fish management plans, ODFW hatcheries do not release “out of basin” stocks. While the vast majority of fish released made it out to the river, an estimated 5-10 percent did not get out of the hatchery before it was dewatered.
As Leaburg Lake levels have come up, hatchery staff are returning to the site as they are able to recollect spring Chinook adults in the trap for eventual spawning and to transfer any eggs to McKenzie Hatchery. Any dead fish at the site are being removed. The hatchery’s popular sturgeon also survived the fire, but may eventually be released into the McKenzie River as the hatchery is no longer suited for long-term holding of the sturgeon due to likely water supply issues that will occur in the coming months.
SALEM, Ore.—Despite the unprecedented wildfires and evacuation of six ODFW-managed fish hatcheries, millions of fish at these facilities remain alive with hatchery staff returning as they are able to care for fish and even spawn spring Chinook during a critical time in their life cycle.
Most importantly, no lives were lost among ODFW hatchery staff and their families who had to evacuate. Unfortunately, some critical infrastructure and fish were lost, with Rock Creek Hatchery on the North Umpqua River sustaining the most severe damage followed by Klamath, Leaburg, and Minto.
With the permission of authorities managing fires, some ODFW staff have been returning periodically to even Level 3 evacuation areas on a limited basis to keep fish at the hatchery alive (by assuring that water is flowing, feeding fish, controlling debris, fueling generators, etc.) and to perform other critical tasks such as spawning spring Chinook.
Rock Creek sustained the most severe damage of all hatcheries. With the exception of the Rock Ed Education Center, all buildings and employee housing were either destroyed or severely damaged by the Archie Creek Fire. Staff access has been more limited than at other facilities due a number of hazards around the site including downed trees and power lines. Some hazards were eliminated to allow staff to get in today (Sept. 16), remove about 700 remaining adult spring Chinook and summer steelhead and move them to Cole Rivers Hatchery with the intent to spawn and collect enough eggs to meet Rock Creek’s production goals. Staff estimates 400,000 juvenile fish were lost and although the extent of fish loss is currently unknown, we expect to know more later this week. The site remains at Evacuation Level 3.
At Leaburg Hatchery, staff who were evacuated from the hatchery and their homes at 2 am. on Sept. 8 due to the Holiday Farm fire returned later in the morning to release approximately 1.16 million fish on site into the McKenzie River as the hatchery lost water. Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) was forced to open the Leaburg Dam rollgates as a precaution as debris from the fire could come down the river and clog or overtop the dam, which dewatered Leaburg Lake and the hatchery. “Those fish would not have survived very long without new incoming fresh water,” said Erik Withalm, Leaburg hatchery manager. “We pulled tail screens to get fish out as quickly as we could before evacuating again as the fire approached. Fortunately, structures at the facility sustained only minor damage with only the wellhouse and a tractor burning.”
Most of the fish released from Leaburg (yearling spring Chinook, summer steelhead and rainbow trout) are expected to survive after spending the next few months in the river. The spring Chinook and summer steelhead that were released will then head downstream to the ocean as part of their natural life cycle with some eventually returning to the hatchery in 2-4 years. The rainbow trout will stay in the river and continue to provide a fishing opportunity for anglers. Some fish on site that were meant for release in another basin (Rock Creek spring and fall Chinook and summer steelhead) were not released and died on site as under fish management plans, ODFW hatcheries do not release “out of basin” stocks. While the vast majority of fish released made it out to the river, an estimated 5-10 percent did not get out of the hatchery before it was dewatered.
As Leaburg Lake levels have come up, hatchery staff are returning to the site as they are able to recollect spring Chinook adults in the trap for eventual spawning and to transfer any eggs to McKenzie Hatchery. Any dead fish at the site are being removed. The hatchery’s popular sturgeon also survived the fire, but may eventually be released into the McKenzie River as the hatchery is no longer suited for long-term holding of the sturgeon due to likely water supply issues that will occur in the coming months.
