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Chehalis Hatchery - Background
Info
Production Objectives (juveniles):
| Chum |
1,000,000 |
fed fry |
| Chinook |
3,300,000 |
fed fry |
| Coho |
1,100,000 |
smolts |
| Steelhead |
89,000 |
smolts |
| Cutthroat. |
24,000 |
smolts |
Present Operations
Chum eggs are taken from spawners returning to the hatchery. Fry are reared to 1 gram in
size and then released from the hatchery into the Chehalis River in April.
Fall chinook eggs are taken from the Harrison River stock
and any spawners returning to the hatchery. Fry are reared to 2 grams and then released
from the hatchery into the Chehalis River in mid to late April. Summer chinook eggs are
taken from spawners returning to the hatchery. Summer chinook were originally transplanted
to the Chehalis River from upper Fraser River stocks. Smolts are released in late April to
mid May at 7 grams.
Coho eggs are taken from fish returning to the hatchery.
Coho juveniles are reared for one year and then released at 20 grams into the Chehalis
River in mid May.
Winter-run steelhead eggs are taken from wild fish captured
in the Chehalis River. Summer-run steelhead eggs are taken from hatchery fish captured in
the Chehalis River.
Steelhead eggs are incubated at Fraser Valley Trout
Hatchery (a provincial facility). Fry are then transferred to Chehalis River Hatchery
after initial rearing.
Steelhead fry are reared for one year and then released
into the Chehalis River in early May as 60-80 gram smolts.
Summer-run steelhead in the Chehalis River were originally
transplanted from Coquihalla River stock. In addition to Chehalis steelhead, Coquihalla
summer-run steelhead are also reared at the hatchery for one year and then released back
into the Coquihalla River near Hope.
Cutthroat eggs are taken from adult fish returning to
Chehalis Hatchery. Incubation and early rearing takes place at Fraser Valley Trout
Hatchery. Fry are transferred to Chehalis River Hatchery in early June and reared for one
year. They are released at 75-100 grams in mid May mainly in the Harrison River.
Project Facilities:
- Chehalis River gravity feed, riverbank fixed-screen intake-
supplies 25,000 to 50,000 lpm (15-30 cfs) of river water depending on water demand.
- Three pump stations (20, 60, and 100 hp)- supply up to
17,000 lpm (10 cfs) of well water.
- Aeration tower- for aeration of well water and distribution
of well and river water.
- Hatchery building- contains the offices, washrooms,
lunchroom, laboratories, workshop, dry storage areas, mechanical/electrical room,
incubation room with Heath trays and Atkins boxes, and freezer (20,000 kg capacity) for
fish food.
- Keeper channels (12)- for chum salmon egg hatching and
alevin incubation.
- Aluminum rearing troughs (32)- for initial fry rearing. The
troughs are used mainly for coho, chinook, steelhead and cutthroat fry.
- Concrete raceways (14)- for final rearing (all species) and
adult holding (coho, chum, and chinook).
- Concrete holding channels (3) - for steelhead and cutthroat
adults.
- Asphalt lined channels (3 )- for coho and chinook final
rearing and sometimes adult coho holding.
- Fish brailer and lifter, anesthetic tank, sorting table and
transfer pipes- for adult salmon handling.
- Egg-take shelter- used for adult spawning.
- Sludge lagoon - waste from cleaning the channels is pumped
into the lagoon.
- Fuel shed - for fuel and oil storage.
- Residence - for crew standby.
- Display panels (10) - for public information and self-guided
tours (bilingual).
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