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eDNA Sampling at Toppenish NWRDetecting Imperiled Mussels Our staff continues to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples within Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge. These efforts are focused on measuring the amount of DNA for the four freshwater mussel species in the Yakima Basin:Western Pearlshell, Western Ridged Mussels, California Floater, and Oregon Floater. The Western Ridged Mussel has been petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Results will be used to better understand the distribution and relative density of these species throughout the lower Yakima Basin and also test an assumption of the sampling that eDNA does not vary by discharge. |
Steelhead Detections at ToppenishAdults and Juveniles PIT antennas installed at Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge have recorded 262 Steelhead this season. Of these, 39 were adult spawners returning upstream, and 223 were juveniles migrating to the ocean. These detections have helped identify critical infrastructure and migration paths that may contribute to avoidable mortality, guiding future restoration priorities. |
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Cle Elum SockeyeTrap and Haul The 2025 Cle Elum Sockeye Trap and Haul operation is now complete! This collaborative effort between Yakama Nation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation, successfully captured and transported approximately 63,000 Sockeye smolts around Cle Elum Dam. The operation began on April 8th and concluded on May 16th. Next year, the "Helix" should provide volitional downstream passage for these juveniles which will reduce the stress and handling of these critical smolts. |
PIT Array at Tieton DamMonitoring Bull Trout Entrainment Staff recently met with Yakama Nation Biologist Zack Mays to discuss installing a new PIT antenna below Tieton Dam. The goal of this array is to monitor potential Bull Trout entrainment. While entrainment is known to occur at the dam, its true extent remains unclear. During a dewatering event in 2005, 37 Bull Trout were captured in the stilling basin. Despite numerous trap-and-haul efforts only 2 Bull Trout have been captured since 2020, underscoring the need for better detection tools. |
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