Storm Damage Update
IMPORTANT UPDATE
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IMPORTANT UPDATE 〰️
Good Morning,
Hope all are enjoying this nice weather today.
This week has been something to say the least. We still do not have water to the hatchery but we were able to get the water pipe back onto the creek crossing. We still need to permanently secure the pipe as well as reconnect it where it separated. This is our next priority.
Speaking of losing water, ODFW and many of us volunteers transferred the fish from the raceways via truck to Elk River hatchery on Monday night. This was an effort that has not been needed for at least the last 40 years. Our fish are gone now, we miss them, but we are doing everything we can to get them back. There is no timeline on just when we may get them back but that is the plan. Our efforts about this transfer and our damage was a featured news piece last evening on channel 12. We are told that it will be running this weekend too.
Watch the Newswatch 12 feature here:
Click image to go to NewsWatch 12 to view: “Indian Creek Hatchery working on post-storm recovery, The volunteer-run hatchery has been in crisis mode working to save 100,000 salmon.”
or view on NewsWatch 12 Facebook Page:
Since March 16th, volunteers at Indian Creek Hatchery have been working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and community members to keep the 100,000 Chinook salmon alive as a rain storm caused unprecedented damage. (Video: by ICH/CAF Board Member, Bruce Beck)
There was so much that happened in such a short time that afternoon it is hard to believe what we accomplished; the teamwork was inspiring. The calls from ODFW to Elk River and them getting authorization to move fish in a couple of hours was awesome. John Weber contacted everyone in his contact list to help and we were able to get 25-30 volunteers to show up with no notice, again awesome. Little things like hooking up the oxygen monitor to calling the fire department for pumps and lighting. I could go on but I must stop.
Bottom line is we transferred over 100K fish and we are being told they are doing well at Elk River. WITH NO LOSS!
We did complete the access road repairs. Tidewater came in and put in approximately 250 tons of riprap, more riprap, and road bed material. We were able to put in a few trees for fish habitat as well as willow starts to help secure the bank. We now have access to the bridge across the creek, but still no bridge.
We have been working with Coos Curry Co-op for help with a couple of the remaining projects. Those discussions are just now beginning.
We have cleared the dam of material from the creek below the hatchery. There was quite a collection of stuff in there. We were able to get the bridge out along with the crossing poles, metal decking, and plastic pipe. We also recovered a 5000 pound block of concrete that was originally at the bridge approximately a half mile upstream.
We still have a muddy mess down at the hatchery. Once we get the main water line up and running we will begin that cleanup. The raceways are not too bad as the fish feeders did a good job of keeping them as clean as possible while we had water. The brood tank and ladder still has approximately 4-5 feet of sand and goopy clay-like materials in them.
Our backup pump is still not operable due to piping failures. Good news is we have the parts and are just waiting for the creek to recede to get in and fix that system.
Please keep positive as we are rebuilding, fixing, cleaning, and we will get our fish back!
Thank you for all you do for the hatchery and our fish!
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