Emergency Salmonid Trap, Transport, and Release Around Fractured Wanapum Dam: Challenges, Protocols, and Performance

Emergency trap and transport operation for adult salmonids was initiated on April 15, 2014 as a result of the emergency drawdown of Wanapum pool that caused inoperable fishways. A total of 40 loads of fish were transported by truck and released above Wanapum Dam, which included 42 adult steelhead trout and 604 spring Chinook salmon. No fish mortalities were observed during trapping, transporting, or releasing fish. The program ended after May 5, 2014 when the Priest Rapids Coordinating Committee concluded that passage criteria had been met and fish could use the modified fishways at Wanapum Dam for upstream passage. A hopper and pipe assemblage was temporarily installed near Vantage, WA to release fish from transport trucks into Wanapum Reservoir. Prior to fish collection, the Off Ladder Adult Fish Trap at Priest Rapids Dam was modified to divert fish out of the trap and into transport trucks. Temperature and dissolved oxygen were regularly monitored and separate protocols for inadvertent bull trout collection were approved, but no bull trout were encountered. Thirteen different trap operators and 14 different drivers were used. Considerable pre-operation coordination with numerous agencies was needed to achieve the level of success that resulted from this program.