USFWS Lower Snake River Compensation Plan

The Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) was established in 1976 by Congress to mitigate for fisheries losses caused by the construction and operation of Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, and Ice Harbor dams. 

Administered by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, the LSRCP Hatchery Program receives funding from the Bonneville Power Administration to meet its goals and objectives. These goals are tracked to assess mitigation progress for salmon and steelhead. 

Provided below are program goals for adult Chinook, steelhead, and resident trout. 

USFWS LSRCP Annual Mitigation Goals

Project Area Annual Escapement Goal

Adult salmon and steelhead returns to the lower Snake River compensation area 

Fall Chinook18,300 
Spring-Summer Chinook 58,700 
Steelhead 55,100 

Project Area Annual Stocking Goal

Pounds of fish stocked predominately in Washington

Resident trout                                                                                 86,000 lbs

Data in FINS

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service LSRCP office asks cooperators to assess progress towards meeting LSRCP goals by using the FINS database. When data is submitted into FINS, cooperators use a standardized format that facilitates combining and comparing data across hatcheries. By using FINS, cooperators can generate reports and document achievements towards LSRCP goals.

Currently, facilities implementing the LSRCP are at different stages of entering data into FINS. The following table provides a general overview of FINS modules that contain data.  

 FINS Module
HatcheryTrapping HoldingSpawningIncubationRearingRelease
Clearwater Fish Hatchery
Dworshak National Fish Hatchery
Hagerman National Fish Hatchery N/A N/A N/A
Irrigon Fish Hatchery N/A N/AN/A
Lookingglass HatcheryPendingPendingPendingPending Pending
Lyons Ferry Hatchery
Magic Valley Steelhead HatcheryN/A N/A N/A
McCall Fish Hatchery
Sawtooth Fish Hatchery
Tucannon Fish Hatchery PendingPendingPendingPendingPending Pending
Wallowa Hatchery Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending

N/A: module not applicable to the hatchery
(table updated May 2023)

Facilities

There are 11 production facilities that implement the LSRCP.  The map displays the location of these facilities (red dot with one fish) and their associated satellites (blue dot with one fish) and information describing the 11 facilities is included below. 

View larger map

With your mouse you can click and move the map, zoom in/out, and click on the icons to view the full name of the hatchery and satellite facility.

The Clearwater Fish Hatchery and its four satellite facilities are the largest hatchery complex constructed by USACE for LSRCP.

The hatchery serves mainly as the incubation, rearing, and fish distribution center for spring-summer Chinook and steelhead. Fertilized steelhead eggs are supplied by Dworshak Fish Hatchery and Chinook eggs originate from adults trapped at the satellite facilities. 

Satellite Facilities: Crooked River (Upper and Lower), Powell, and Red River

The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery was built in the late 1960s by the USACE to mitigate for the loss of steelhead in the North Fork Clearwater River and its tributaries, as a result of the construction of Dworshak Dam. Following the 2005 Congressional authorization, as well as the signing of the 2007 Snake River Basin Adjudication Settlement Agreement, the hatchery is now co-managed and operated by the USFWS and Nez Perce Tribe, while the USACE maintains ownership.  

Spring-summer Chinook are produced at the hatchery under the LSRCP. Other fish such as steelhead and coho are also produced to meet mitigation needs. 

  • Operator: Co-managed by the Nez Perce Tribe and USFWS.
  • Activities: Trapping, spawning, egg incubation, rearing, and release
  • Fish: Spring-summer Chinook
  • Area: Clearwater River Basin
  • Main Facility: https://www.fws.gov/fish-hatchery/dworshak

 

Satellite Facilities: None

The Hagerman National Fish Hatchery was constructed in 1932 and in 1979 converted to a steelhead mitigation hatchery for the LSRCP. In 2018, the USFWS transferred operations to Idaho Department of Fish and Game; however, ownership and funding remains the responsibility of the USFWS. 

The facility incubates steelhead and rainbow trout eggs provided by other facilities and rears the juveniles.

Satellite Facilities: None

The Irrigon Hatchery began operation in 1984 as part of the LSRCP to mitigate for spring Chinook and summer steelhead losses.

Eggs collected from summer steelhead destined for the Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers are incubated, with juveniles being reared until time for release. Fall Chinook are also reared at the facility for release into the Grande Ronde and Snake rivers. 

Satellite Facilities: Little Sheep and Big Canyon

The Lookingglass Hatchery was constructed in 1982 as part of the LSRCP. The hatchery and its satellite facility are staffed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nez Perce Tribe, and Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation who co-manage and operate the acclimation and adult collection facilities.

Spring Chinook are collected, reared, and released at the hatchery. The associated satellite site is also used to collect adults, and acclimate/release juveniles.

  • Operators: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Activities: Broodstock collection, spawning, egg incubation, rearing, and release
  • Fish: Spring/summer Chinook
  • Area: Grande Ronde River Basin, Imnaha River Basin
  • Main Facility: https://myodfw.com/lookingglass-hatchery-visitors-guide

Satellite Facilities: Imnaha

LSRCP funded fish production in Washington began in 1983, with the construction of trout and steelhead rearing facilities at Lyons Ferry Hatchery.  Construction of salmon hatchery facilities and steelhead acclimation sites followed and were completed in 1985. 

Adult fall Chinook broodstock are collected at the hatchery and Lower Granite Dam. Juvenile fish are released directly from the hatchery, as well as being transported to acclimation and release sites.  Lyons Ferry also raises fall Chinook salmon for transfer and acclimation at Big Canyon, Pittsburg Landing, and Captain Johns sites operated by the Nez Perce Tribe.  

Adult steelhead are collected at the hatchery trap and other traps (e.g., Tucannon Fish Hatchery) associated with the Lyons Ferry Complex.

Satellite Facilities: 

Captain Johns, Big Canyon, and Pittsburg Landing Curl Lake Acclimation Facility and Trap, Cottonwood Acclimation Facility and Trap, and Dayton Acclimation Facility and Trap

The Magic Valley Steelhead Hatchery produces steelhead to aid in sustaining abundance in the Salmon River and its tributaries.

Satellite Facilities: None

Constructed in 1979 for the LSRCP, the McCall Fish Hatchery is staffed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Nez Perce Tribe.

The hatchery rears Chinook using eggs collected from broodstock trapped at its satellite facility.

Satellite Facilities: South Fork Salmon River

Constructed in 1985, Sawtooth Fish Hatchery is part of the LSRCP and is operated by Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Sawtooth Fish Hatchery program releases approximately 1.7 million yearling spring Chinook salmon each year into the Upper Salmon River. Currently 150,000 smolts are produced in integrated component and 300,000 smolts are released into the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River as part of a cooperative supplementation program with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.  Sawtooth collects hatchery A-steelhead returns in the upper Salmon River to spawn and fill program objectives for Hagerman National Fish Hatchery.

Satellite Facilities (shown with a hatchery icon per the PSMFC Fish Facility source map): East Fork Salmon River

The Tucannon Hatchery was modified during 1984-1985 to contribute to achieving LSRCP mitigation goals. The facility includes an on-site adult collection trap and three remote acclimation ponds (Curl Lake Acclimation Facility, Cottonwood Acclimation Facility and Trap, and : Dayton Acclimation Facility and Trap).

Adult spring and fall Chinook returning to the facility are transported to Lyons Fish Hatchery and held until spawning. Juveniles are reared at the hatchery through the winter until transfer to acclimation ponds in February and/or March.

Adult steelhead returning to the hatchery are trapped for use as broodstock. Adults are also trapped at Lyons Ferry Hatchery and other associated traps. Juvenile steelhead are moved to Curl Lake, Dayton, and Cottonwood ponds to acclimate before volitional release.

Satellite Facilities: 

Curl Lake Acclimation Facility and Trap, Cottonwood Acclimation Facility and Trap, and Dayton Acclimation Facility and Trap.

Wallowa Hatchery was renovated in 1985 to support the LSRCP. Efforts at the hatchery include steelhead broodstock collection and spawning, as well as the acclimation and release of juveniles. Collection and acclimation also occurs at associated satellite facilities. Egg incubation and rearing occurs at the Irrigon Hatchery.

Satellite Facilities: Big Canyon and Little Sheep Creek