Brian Foote, co-founder of EarthViews, sent us a special treat: a view of Issaquah Creek from the hatchery weir down to Confluence Park. This amazing technology gives you the ability to virtually ‘walk’ down the middle of Issaquah Creek, spinning your head for a 360 degree view — all from the comfort of your desk chair or smartphone! Check it out. We’d love to get your feedback! Should we do more of the Creek — maybe from the mouth to the headwaters? Maybe do this multiple times per year? Tell us what you want.
Thank you to all of our wonderful docent volunteers who helped make our small group tours possible this season! To those of you who joined us, we were delighted to be able to share the salmon season with you, and we look forward to seeing many more of you next year! Here’s to a good new year full of cool, flowing water, eggs, alevins, frys, fingerlings, smolts and returning adults! Keep ’em coming home!
Your Friends at FISH
Gallery: 2020 Small Group Tours
One of the miraculous facets of a Pacific salmon’s life is its death. All Pacific salmon die after they spawn. In doing so, they enrich their home stream with their harvest of years of nutrition on the high seas. This chinook will feed the local ecosystem, and perhaps even its progeny when they emerge from the gravel in 4 months time.
Betcha Didn’t Know This:
The sharp-eyed among you may note that this chinook’s tail has been cut off. This indicates that a Fisheries Biologist has sampled, measured and counted this fish. Severing the tail ensures that this fish is not counted more than once.
Did you know that ducks are not vegetarians? This photo of mallards feasting on a dead salmon was also taken today on Issaquah Creek.
David St. John of the Kokanee Work Group shared an update about Remote Site Incubators:
“I am happy to share that we now have eggs in the gravel in the egg boxes on Zackuse Creek and Idylwood Creek! These RSIs are a key element of our recovery strategy, as we look to recolonize streams and improve the survival rates of offspring from fish coming through our supplementation program. Through WDFW’s genetics lab in Olympia, we have concluded (just in time) with high confidence that the eggs in the RSIs (and the supplementation program as whole) 1) are the progeny of native Lake Sammamish kokanee and 2) are not the result of sibling matings, which is a bit of good news. We expect this first batch of eggs to hatch in the next week or so.”
Sometimes it may feel like we’re toiling in obscurity over here at the hatchery, but this year brings a reminder that per City of Issaquah Resolution 93-15, the Issaquah Creek/Salmon Run and the Salmon Hatchery are numbers 1 and 2 on the list of treasures that make up part of the city’s work plan for 2019. These treasures were determined by a year-long, open community process that solicited input on those features of the community that make it special and unique. This will bring renewed attention to the hatchery and its operations from both officials and the public, a well-deserved recognition for all the work we do and a reminder that these treasures are important not only to us, but the community at large.
Today members of third and fourth grade classes from Issaquah Valley, Blackwell, and Arrowhead elementary schools joined us at Confluence Park for a day of education, restoration, and fun! Under the auspices of the Kokanee Work Group, participants included FISH, the Snoqualmie Cultural Department, Mountains to Sound Greenway, Trout Unlimited, Triangle Associates, City of Sammamish, City of Issaquah, Mid-sound Fisheries, US Fish and Wildlife, Gibson Ek High School, and concerned citizens. Students learned about invasive weed removal, mulching, salmon anatomy, river dynamics, traditional rope and net-making, water quality stewardship, and how to toss kokanee into culverts. We were also honored to share songs with the drummers from the Snoqualmie Tribe and Chief Andy. Thanks to everyone who made this day a success students will remember for a long time!
2020 Small Group Tours have Concluded
Check out our photos!
Chinook Gives Its All (Including its Tail?)
The sharp-eyed among you may note that this chinook’s tail has been cut off. Learn what that’s about…
Kokanee Update
We now have eggs in the gravel in the egg boxes on Zackuse Creek and Idylwood Creek!
Issaquah Treasures
The Issaquah Creek/Salmon Run and the Salmon Hatchery are numbers 1 and 2 on the list of treasures that make up part of the city’s work plan for 2019.
Kokanee Celebration!
Members of third and fourth grade classes from Issaquah Valley, Blackwell, and Arrowhead elementary schools joined us at Confluence Park for a day of education, restoration, and fun!