Cowlitz Fish Report
Cowlitz Restoration and Recovery grant funding is available for hatchery-associated production (HAP) projects or activities that lead to on-the-ground projects. The 2026 grant round is closed. Year-round engagement is encouraged to prepare for future grant rounds.
Click here to learn about the HAP process, timelines, and available application supportCowlitz Fish Report
May 18, 2026
Last week, Tacoma Power employees recovered 44 Winter-run Steelhead, 851 Spring Chinook adults, 106 Spring Chinook jacks, and 45 Summer-run Steelhead over five days of operations at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.
During the past week, Tacoma Power employees released 25 Winter-run Steelhead, 440 Spring Chinook adults, and 57 Spring Chinook jacks into Lake Scanewa at the Day Use Park and they released four Winter-run Steelhead, 210 Spring Chinook adults, and 26 Spring Chinook jacks into Lake Scanewa at the Copper Canyon release site. They also released two Winter-run Steelhead, 69 Spring Chinook adults, and ten Spring Chinook jacks at Franklin Bridge in Packwood.
In addition, they released four Winter-run Steelhead into the Tilton River at Bremer Bridge.
As of Friday, May 15, 2026, Tacoma Power has recycled 33 Summer-run Steelhead and three Spring Chinook adults this season to the I-5 boat launch in Toledo.
River flow below Mayfield Dam is 4,700 cubic feet per second on Monday, May 18, 2026. Water visibility is 8 feet and water temperature is 48.4 (F). River flows could change at any time so boaters and anglers should remain alert for this possibility.
Cowlitz Fish Stats:
- Graphs of adult returns by species for each week and 10-year averages.
- Tables of collections by species for each week, season to date and weekly 5-year averages.