On the Ground at Snoqualmie Pass: YBFWRB Annual Meeting Field Tour

On the Ground at Snoqualmie Pass: YBFWRB Annual Meeting Field Tour

On a rainy August day, the Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board gathered at Snoqualmie Pass for our annual meeting field tour. Board members, staff, and guests joined partners from Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and Kittitas Conservation Trust (KCT) to see firsthand the challenges and ongoing work to protect Bull Trout and restore key habitats in the upper Yakima Basin.

Keechelus Lake: Habitat Under Pressure

The day began at the Keechelus Lake Boat Launch, where we learned about the lakebed recreation closure, reservoir water levels, and storage management. Keechelus provides critical habitat for Bull Trout, a threatened species whose population here—particularly the genetically distinct Gold Creek fish—is in steep decline. These Bull Trout face increasing risks from drought conditions and the dewatering of Gold Creek, which has brought the population dangerously close to extirpation.

Wildlife on the Move

From the lake, the group traveled to the recently constructed Gold Creek Wildlife Crossing. This WSDOT undercrossing, with its 18-foot ceiling, now provides a safe passageway for wildlife beneath the busy freeway, reconnecting fragmented habitat and improving migration corridors for species throughout the region.

Science in Action at Gold Creek Pond

At Gold Creek Pond, KCT led a walk along the path to where Yakama Nation, WDFW and USFWS biologists and partners were conducting exploratory fishing surveys with Oneida nets. Board members had a chance to watch biologists carefully tag fish before releasing them into Keechelus Lake. These tags will help biologists monitor fish movement and determine whether they attempt to return upstream through the pond’s outlet, passing detection antennas along Gold Creek.

A Dry Creek Bed

The tour concluded at Heli’s Pond, where participants followed the trail to Gold Creek. Despite the steady rain, the streambed was dry—an unsettling reminder of the pressures facing this watershed. Seeing the dewatered channel underscored both the urgency of restoration work and the importance of continued collaboration among agencies, tribes, and partners.

Moving Forward

The annual meeting tour highlighted not only the challenges Bull Trout are facing in the Snoqualmie Pass area, but also the creative, collaborative efforts underway to address them. From habitat restoration to infrastructure improvements, the work being done today is laying the foundation for healthier fish and wildlife populations in the years to come.