$300,000 grant will create ‘rest stops’ for fish in Tri-Cities area

The Washington State Salmon Recovery Board awarded a $306,000 grant to the Benton Conservation District to design fish habitat projects in the lower Yakima River.

Every fall, Yakima River salmon travel thousands of miles to get home, but then stop short before their destination.

Salmon need cold water to survive, so the warm water of the Yakima River is a roadblock to them.

While waiting for river temperatures to drop, the fish continue aging rapidly and are vulnerable to local sport fishing as the fish gather in large groups in the cooler Columbia River.

Benton Conservation District has identified two pockets of cooler water just slightly upstream of the mouth of the Yakima River.

It will use this salmon recovery grant to design fish habitat projects to protect and enhance those cooler water spots as important ‘rest stops’ for the salmon, where they can cool off and rejuvenate on their journey home.