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Chinook passing through the Landsburg fish ladder

Fish Operations and Counts

  • Sorting Chinook salmon at the fish ladder.
  • Salmon and trout migrating through the fish ladder.

The Landsburg Dam was modified in 2003 to provide safe passage for migrating fish. For fish moving downstream, a new spill gate was installed. For fish moving upstream, a fish ladder was constructed.

The fish ladder provides opportunities to sort out sockeye for broodstock and collect important biological data from other fish migrating above the dam. When the ladder is not in use to sort sockeye salmon, a Vaki Riverwatcher counts and photographs fish passing through the ladder.

Fish observed passing through the ladder incude: Chinook salmon, coho, trout, steelhead and whitefish. To protect drinking water quality, sockeye are not allowed to pass the dam. Data taken from fish passing through the ladder includes species, sex, natural or wild origin and fork length. For some years, genetic information is also available for Chinook and coho salmon.

Fish Passage Graph

Fish Passage Reports

The following newsletters are in PDF format.

Recolonization Studies

The following reports are in PDF format.

The following citations are scientific papers published on salmon recolonization in the Cedar River.

  • Anderson, J.H., G. R. Pess, P. M. Kiffney, T. R. Bennett, P.L. Faulds, W. I. Atlas, and T.P. Quinn. 2012. Dispersal and tributary immigration by juvenile coho salmon contribute to spatial expansion during colonization. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 22: 30-22.
  • Anderson, J.H., P.L. Faulds, W. I. Atlas, G. R. Pess and T.P. Quinn. 2010. Selection on breeding date and body size in colonizing coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch. Molecular Ecology 19: 2652-2573.
  • Anderson, J. H. and T. P. Quinn. 2007. Movements of adult coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) during colonization of newly accessible habitat. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 64: 1143-1154.
  • Kiffney, P. M., G. R. Pess, J. H. Anderson, P. Faulds, K. Burton and S. C. Riley. 2008. Changes in fish communities following recolonization of the Cedar River, WA, USA by Pacific salmon after 103 years of local extirpation. River Research and Applications 25: 438–452.

External Links

Vaki Riverwatcher

Landsburg Fish Ladder Contact

Michele Koehler, Senior Fish Ecologist
Seattle Public Utilities
Phone: (206) 733-9447
Email: michele.koehler@seattle.gov