Tacoma Power uses a trap-and-haul strategy to transport wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead past the Cowlitz River Project dams and reservoirs.

Trap-and-Haul
Construction of Mayfield Dam and Mossyrock Dam in the 1960s blocked natural fish passage up and down part of the Cowlitz River. Tacoma Power built the Cowlitz Salmon and Cowlitz Trout hatcheries as part of its responsibility of owning and operating the Cowlitz River Project.

Upstream migrating adult fish are collected at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery downstream of Mayfield Dam and sorted by species and destination. Fish that were born at the hatchery (hatchery-origin) fish are kept at the hatchery to produce the next generation of salmon or hauled upstream. Tacoma Power transports wild salmon by truck to sites on the Tilton, Cowlitz and Cispus rivers to continue their spawning journey. Winter steelhead, fall Chinook, spring Chinook, coho and sea-run cutthroat trout are transported to each upper basin release site.

Hatchery Management
Tacoma Power owns and pays all costs for the Cowlitz River salmon and trout hatcheries. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages and operates them with funds from Tacoma Power. Tacoma Power employees are responsible for sorting the returning adult fish and for all fish transportation.

The Future
Tacoma Power’s Cowlitz River Project federal license calls for reassessing and improving upstream and downstream fish passage and survival. The Fisheries Technical Committee, which includes biologists from state and federal agencies, Tacoma Power, the Yakama Nation and a representative from Trout Unlimited and American Rivers, is directing the scientific studies needed to determine the most effective fish-passage enhancements.

Learn more about Cowlitz River fisheries and hatcheries management.

For recorded information about river flows, lake levels and boat launch usability, call fishing and recreation at (888) 502-8690.