Dworshak National Fish Hatchery facts for kids
The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery is a special place in north-central Idaho, near a town called Ahsahka. It's located right on the Clearwater River. This hatchery was built in 1969 to help fish. It's managed by two groups: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nez Perce Tribe. This hatchery is one of the biggest in the world for raising fish that travel from the ocean to freshwater!
.jpg)
Contents
Dworshak Fish Hatchery: Helping Fish Thrive
The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery was built because of the Dworshak Dam. This big dam blocks the way for fish to reach their old homes on the North Fork-Clearwater River. The dam is too tall for a fish ladder, which is a special path for fish to swim over dams.
What is a Fish Hatchery?
A fish hatchery is like a special farm for fish. Its main job is to "mitigate," or make up for, the places fish can no longer reach. At Dworshak, they collect grown-up fish. Then, they carefully fertilize the eggs. The young fish are raised at the hatchery for about one to one and a half years. This gives them a good head start before they begin their long journey.
Amazing Fish Journeys
The fish raised here are called anadromous fish. This means they are born in freshwater, travel to the ocean, and then come back to freshwater to lay their own eggs. The fish from Dworshak Hatchery make an incredible 1,000-mile round trip! They swim 500 miles to the Pacific Ocean and then 500 miles back.
The Long Swim to the Ocean
The young fish face many dangers on their journey. They must swim past eight large dams on the Snake and Columbia Rivers. To help them, during the summer, the dams release more water. This makes it easier for the young fish to swim downstream.
Fish Species at Dworshak
The hatchery raises three main types of fish:
Smart Water System
The Dworshak Hatchery has a very special feature. It can control the water temperature in the ponds where young steelhead are raised. They keep the water at 54 degrees Fahrenheit. This warm water helps the young steelhead grow faster. They can be released after just one year, when they are about 8 inches long. If the water were cold, it would take them another whole year to grow the same amount! The hatchery does this by reusing up to 90 percent of its water. This is a very smart and efficient way to raise fish.
Dworshak Fisheries Complex
The Dworshak National Fish Hatchery is part of a bigger group called the Dworshak Fisheries Complex. This complex also includes:
- Kooskia National Fish Hatchery
- The Idaho Fish Health Center
- The Idaho Fisheries Resource Office
Visiting the Hatchery
You can visit the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery during daylight hours. They have a path you can follow on your own. You can also arrange a guided tour if you want to learn even more! The hatchery is about three miles west of Orofino, Idaho, on Highway 7.
Best Times to See Fish
If you want to see lots of fish, here are the best times to visit:
- February to April: Adult steelhead
- June to August: Adult chinook salmon
- October to December: Coho salmon and steelhead
Who Was Henry Dworshak?
Both the Dworshak Dam and the hatchery are named after Henry Dworshak. He was a Republican Senator who represented Idaho in the United States government from 1946 to 1962.
