North Umpqua Fish Ladder - Winchester, Oregon
Posted by: 
Tprints
N 43° 17.073 W 123° 21.270
10T E 471238 N 4792475
A successful fish ladder constructed to allow fish to travel up the North Umpqua River farther than they have been able to for over 60 years.
Waymark Code: WMJBA1
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 10/23/2013
Views: 13
The fish ladder at the North Umpqua River dam was built so that the dam could survive. The dam regulates the natural flow of the river to generate electricity during times of peak demand, but also prevented fish from swimming upstream to historic spawning grounds. Conservation groups pushed for the dam's removal, contending it not only blocks spawning grounds, but also keeps gravel and woody debris from replenishing downstream spawning beds.
Chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, trout and Pacific lamprey are expected to use the 600-foot passage to traverse the dam, an obstacle fish encounter after swimming 180 miles from the Pacific Ocean to spawn. Estimates have been made that the fish ladder will increase adult populations on the river by 200 to 600 chinook salmon and steelhead.
There is free access to a viewing area where the fish can be observed using the ladder through under-water windows. I saw numerous fish using the ladder the day of my visit.
River/Waterway: North Umpqua River
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Visit Instructions:
Please share a self-made picture of the Fish Ladder and tell us something about it. Did you see any fishes? You do not have to be in the picture, neither does your GPSr.