Fish rescued from fire safe at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery

In August 2015, Yakama Nation Fisheries helped rescue Leavenworth Chinook salmon from high summer heat. Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery was able to return the favor this week, as coho salmon from Cascade Salmon Hatchery were brought here to safe haven from the Eagle Creek fire in Oregon.

Workers at Cascade Salmon Hatchery were evacuated during the fire. Flames burned all the underbrush upstream near the water intake, creating conditions so ripe for mudslides that not even firefighters were allowed in the ravine. With rain predicted for Sunday, Sept. 17, rescuers had to act fast. Dubbed the “Liberation Team,” two large tankers from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with Department of Transportation officials in both Oregon and Washington, rushing a million fish out of danger.

Working with the departments of transportation in two states, which opened the highways to the tankers, 665,000 Yakama Nation coho were transported to Willard National Fish Hatchery on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge and 310,000 traveled up to Leavenworth NFH. The Leavenworth fish would normally arrive in February for a short stay to acclimate before release into Icicle Creek and the Wenatchee River. Instead, they will overwinter here. Coho managed by the Nez Perce and Umatilla were also housed at Cascade, and were rapidly moved to Leaburg Fish Hatchery on the McKenzie River.

As rain returns to the Pacific Northwest, ash will be swept into the water at Cascade Hatchery, lowering pH levels. Fish thrive in neutral pH, and suffer when water becomes more acidic. With all the fish safely removed, staff can concentrate on cleaning up once they’re allowed to return.

Greg Wolfe, Upper Columbia Hatchery Complex Manager for Yakama Nation Fisheries, said, “Hats off to Oregon and hats off to the Liberation Team. They are very dedicated.” Thanks to the efforts of many partners, these coho found safe haven.