Adult Fishways and Detection

Off-Ladder Adult Fish Trap
The Off-Ladder Adult Fish Trap facility at Priest Rapids Dam was built for research and management activities. The trap diverts steelhead from the fish ladder into a holding tank where they are examined, measured, recorded and implanted with a Passive Integrated Transponder-tag before being returned to a channel that routes them back to the fish ladder.  Any species other than steelhead including shad, sockeye, whitefish and Chinook, are re-routed back into the fish ladder to continue their journey upstream.

Adult Fishways
Grant PUD operates and maintains two fishways at each dam designed to allow safe passage upstream for adult fish returning from the ocean to their native waters. Grant PUD operates the sluiceways at both Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams to provide a fallback passage route for steelhead and fall Chinook.

Adult Fish Detection
Grant PUD installed adult Passive Integrator Transponder (PIT)-tag detection equipment in both fishways at Priest Rapids Dam.  These PIT-tag readers monitor downstream survival of fish and their return upstream, providing valuable data regarding fish migration histories.

Fish Counting
Grant PUD is committed to providing accurate counts of adult fish migrating through the right and left bank fishways at Priest Rapids and Wanapum dams. These counts contribute to research and management purposes for the Columbia Basin salmon populations and river environment.