The Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation announces the commencement of the Rowdy and Dominie Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project which will restore fish access to over 13 miles of high quality stream habitat in tributaries of the Smith.
The project will remove an outdated weir and fish trap at the Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery. Its implementation is the culmination of a decade-long process to consider stakeholder input, feasibility and alternate designs to address the hatchery’s in-steam weir infrastructure. The project is a top priority for the Department of Fish and Wildlife fish passage priorities.
The Tolowa purchased Rowdy Creek in 2013.
The weir and fish trap was constructed back in the70’s and was built to facilitate the collection of adult Chinook Salmon and Steelhead for spawning at Rowdy Creek. The new Weir construction will allow Coho Salmon to access the Hatchery trap. Coho Salmon have been nonexistent since 2016, according to Jennifer Jacobs, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation’s Fisheries Division Manager.
The Hatchert will be closed during construction.