Klickitat Hatchery Public Access Closure

BPA is making infrastructure updates to the Klickitat Fish Hatchery from Oct. 2024 through Oct. 2026. Public access is closed to the Klickitat River via the Klickitat River Hatchery site at 300 Fish Hatchery Rd, Glenwood, Wash during this time period. The closure includes parking and portage on the hatchery grounds during construction.

The Klickitat Hatchery was originally constructed in 1949 and is operated by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation to rear spring and fall Chinook as well as late-run coho salmon. BPA and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation are currently working together to upgrade the existing Klickitat Hatchery to improve the spring Chinook salmon population in the Klickitat River.

Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2026, with the first yearlings released from the upgraded facilities in May 2027. Public river access through the site will resume once construction is finished.

For more information, please contact Mary Todd Haight at 503-230-3112 or mthaight@bpa.gov.

Staying safe during construction

The north and south hatchery grounds are closed to vehicles and pedestrians throughout project construction. 

Due to the closure, boating the Klickitat River from Parrots Crossing to Summit Creek or Leidl is not recommended, particularly due to hazards associated with the existing low-head dam. Experienced boaters familiar with the area may have the ability to navigate this stretch at appropriate flow levels, either running the dam or portaging below the ordinary high-water mark of the river (as the hatchery grounds are not publicly accessible during construction activities). If you are unfamiliar or uncertain about navigating this route safely, avoid attempting the run during the 2025 and 2026 boating seasons.

Please respect the closures, and stay safe. Look for signs and high visibility fencing at shorelines indicating work areas/closures, and be watchful for equipment operating in the area.  

Large black pipe in foreground, behind which stands a man looking into a large hole while another man stands in the hole, near a truck, with the river in the background