Quilcene National Fish Hatchery

Smith-Root provided biological and electronic expertise to divert migrating steelhead, chinook and coho into the adjacent hatchery for sorting and egg production.

Location: Quilcene, Washington
Commissioned: 2000

Type: Waterway

Project description

Located on the east watershed of the Olympic Peninsula, the Quilcene River experiences highly variable flows. In flood conditions, the river carries an abrasive bedload including large rocks. The Quilcene hatchery is near the confluence with the Hood Canal. Upstream migrating salmon and steelhead must be diverted into the hatchery to separate wild from hatchery stock and to collect eggs.

Smith-Root assisted U.S. Fish and Wildlife in the barrier design. There were seven flat stainless steel electrodes embedded into the Insulcrete™ deck and side walls of the stepped weir.

There was continued maintenance associated with bedload damage. The deck was covered by protective spaced timber rails which appeared to be successful in containing the concrete and electrode wear.

Services provided

Coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the hatchery staff prior to decommissioning
Design of the barrier
Supply of the electronics to power the barrier
Limited observations during construction
Complete annual maintenance prior to decommissioning

Site characteristics

Pulsators: 1.5kVA POW
Pulsator Qty: 6
Power Output: 9.0 kW max.
Water Depth: 0-6 feet
Waterway Width: 75 feet
Water Velocity: 0-4 ft./s
Conductivity: 180 µs/cm max.