Record numbers of steelhead return to the Deschutes River, heralding progress in long-term fish reintroduction effort

Madras, Ore. — Biologists from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and Portland General Electric have collected more than 250 returning adult steelhead at the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric project – the largest steelhead return since dams were completed on the Deschutes River in the 1960s. Scientists say these notable early returns bode well for the year ahead, as Deschutes River steelhead runs typically span from July/August until the following March.

“We’ve already surpassed the entire run from last year, which was our previous record,” said Megan Hill, manager of environmental science at PGE’s hydropower projects. “While there is still a long way to go toward our long-term goals for fish reintroduction, these returns demonstrate important progress and point to the efficacy of our science-based strategies for fish recovery.”

From the 1950s to 2010, dams on the Deschutes River blocked the migration of ocean-going salmon and steelhead, also known as anadromous fish. In 2005, when the Pelton Round Butte hydropower project was relicensed, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and PGE – co-owners of the hydropower project – began an ambitious effort to change that, alongside many agencies and environmental organizations. The reintroduction program is a long-term, collaborative project to restore anadromous fish runs to a fully reconnected Deschutes River Basin. Restoring these runs includes aiding the downstream migration of juvenile fish as well as the upstream return of adults, which spawn in the Metolius, Upper Deschutes, and Crooked Rivers above Lake Billy Chinook.

All 250 of these returning steelhead spent time in the Upper Deschutes Basin as juveniles before traveling to Lake Billy Chinook on their way to the ocean. Once they reached the reservoir, the young fish were collected in a facility called the Selective Water Withdrawal (SWW) and released downstream of the Pelton Round Butte project’s lower-most dam to continue their journey. After about two years in the ocean, these steelhead traveled back up the Columbia and Deschutes Rivers, where they were collected again as adults at Pelton Dam and released into Lake Billy Chinook to continue upstream to their spawning habitat.

“I remain inspired by what I heard from elders and mentors as a young person. Their teachings and their stories echo of a time when our rivers on the Reservation had so many fish you could walk over them," said Austin Smith Jr., natural resources manager for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. "In exercising our Treaty-reserved rights, we collaborate with our partners to restore this fishery to healthy levels. The progress we're making through our fish reintroduction program is a start, and it gives us hope that we can once again have enough fish for the first people of this land to sustain themselves."

An adult steelhead in the Crooked River - a tributary to Lake Billy Chinook and the Lower Deschutes River.

An adult steelhead with a radio tag. This tracking device allows biologists to monitor the movement of fish upstream.

Environmental scientists from PGE and the Tribes attribute this year’s return to a number of factors, including beneficial ocean conditions, which can vary from year to year, and improvements to fish management practices. These advancements include acclimating young fish in-stream prior to release to adjust to the water conditions and imprint on the river’s unique scent, which aids adult fish in navigating back to the same waterway to spawn. Biologists have also improved juvenile fish collection procedures by installing a stress relief pond to allow fish more time to recover after handling, and releasing fish into the Lower Deschutes at night when predators are less active. These adjustments, among others, reflect a commitment to adaptive management – an approach that involves ongoing data collection, evaluation, and thoughtful course corrections supported by science.

“The reintroduction effort has always been about getting enough fish to return so that they can find a mate in their natural spawning grounds upstream of the dams. Returns really improved in 2024, in part because we’ve learned more and incorporated new strategies into this effort,” said Terry Shrader, Pelton Round Butte mitigation coordinator at the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. “This year’s record return of reintroduction program steelhead demonstrates real progress and affirms our many years of hard work.”

“The notable increase in steelhead returns to the Upper Basin is cause for celebration,” said Rika Ayotte, Executive Director for the Deschutes Land Trust. “The collaborative effort to reintroduce these fish into the Upper Deschutes Basin will greatly benefit our wildlife and local communities. The Deschutes Land Trust is honored to be a partner in this work and proud of the habitat conservation and restoration projects that will welcome these fish back to their home waters.”

Using radio tracking technology, biologists will monitor the adult steelhead released into Lake Billy Chinook to gather data about their movement and spawning activity as they travel upstream. In a few years, the offspring of these adults will begin their own journey to the ocean, following the current downstream to start the cycle over again.