2026 Annual Meeting Site Tour

The 2026 Annual Board of Directors Meeting tour explored the Three-Way Levee Removal and the enormous Pom Pom Road restoration project. It’s amazing to see the scale of these three projects – and to see the riparian vegetation at Pom Pom rebounding so well after the fire there 2 years ago.

While this summer’s White Swan area fire missed these sites, it was sobering to see the homes many lost right nearby. Our hearts are with the White Swan community as folks work to rebuild their homes, and the tour left us all thinking about the ongoing challenge of managing fire impacts on both our streams and our communities.

Many thanks to our hosts at Yakama Nation Fisheries, and to the folks who enriched our understanding of this important area.

2025 Annual Meeting Site Tour

On a rainy August day, the Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board gathered at Snoqualmie Pass for its 2025 annual meeting field tour, joined by partners from WDFW and Kittitas Conservation Trust. The group visited Keechelus Lake to discuss Bull Trout habitat pressures and declining Gold Creek populations, then explored the new Gold Creek Wildlife Crossing reconnecting critical migration corridors. At Gold Creek Pond, they observed biologists tagging fish to track movement and habitat use, before hiking to Heli’s Pond, where a dry Gold Creek streambed highlighted the urgency of restoration. The tour showcased both the challenges facing Bull Trout and the collaborative efforts underway to protect and restore key upper Yakima Basin habitats.

2024 Annual Meeting Site Tour

The 2024 Annual Board of Directors Meeting tour explored the Little Naches watershed, highlighting efforts to balance ecosystem health with recreation. Stops included Horsetail Falls for an overview of the watershed’s importance, the Little Naches Floodplain Restoration Project to see improved river function and habitat, and the Little Crow Project site to discuss forest thinning and land history. The tour concluded at 780 Hole, where participants considered how to protect river habitat while maintaining recreational access.

Salmon Awards History