Just thought I'd pass along the info that efforts are currently underway to start trenching some of the riffles on the lower Hoh in an attempt to spread the fish out some ... and perhaps even get some up to where they really ought to be.

I'll post some pix of the activities tomorrow ... they even brought in a crew of inmates from Olympic Corrections Center to do some sandbagging and digging in order to make most of the water channel through small areas to make them deep enough to allow the kings passage through.

I sopke with Bill Freymund, the Region 6 bio, there yesterday asking about trucking fish ... he's concerned about stress, which certainly is something that we'd need to worry about, but we're hoping to get the okay to try to transport some up top so that they're at the spawning tribs mouths when the rains do finally come.

Like I said, I'll post some pic tomorrow, and if we need some help further than that we'll sure let y'all know

im free on the weekends if volunteers are needed

Hopefully with this rain forecasted for the end of the week, the rivers will come up!!!

here are some of those pix I promised, sorry a little late

Bob, I'm hoping by next week you will be back to work. We are going to get lots of rain by the weekend. It sure is looking good for the rain Gods. Snow Snow and Snow. Need the Mountains to start getting packed.

So --- The guys in the red jackets have 'get out of jail free' monopoly cards, eh???

Why didn't they bring in a bulldozer or back loader and make a real channel??

Periwinkle,
Why don't you look at your post a little more
closely. "Why don't they use a heavey piece of equipment " Can you say "HABITAT".Hello.
Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

I dont think he was seriouse.....

Rich,
I hope not.If he was joking sorry for the out burst.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

In the summer or '97 (maybe '98?) the state was running a back hoe in the NF Stilly to put log jams in.
And BTW, we pay for the inmates regardless of whether they work or not. Might as well work 'em.

Yes ... they got a card for the day.

Actually, the emergency permits allowed the use of heavy equipment ... that's how bad things have been. The pro's probably would have outweighed the cons. Had it not begun raining, it was a very real possibilty.

But, it may no longer be needed ... keep raining!!

Great Idea Periwinkle. That was the first thought I had when Bob mentioned digging channels earlier in the week. Heavy equipment, in-water work (shallow) is not an uncommon occurance and is certainly warranted considering the extreme condtions these fish were facing. Although, it appears that some of us would prefer putting those low-life in-mates to work. Obviously, the equipment must be steam cleaned and in good condition i.e. no leaking hydraulic hoses. Provided access, an excavator could have relieved every riffle from Barlow to G&L in a couple of days. All the vehicles parked on the gravel bar (see pictures) likely contributed more contaminates to the "habitat" than a clean excavator would have. Not to mention those of you who insist on running older model two-strokes up and down the rivers on a regular basis. Thanks for caring Bob and putting this effort together. Thank goodness for the rain and lets make sure we give the remaining spawners a break this fall once rivers are opened.

Wasn't my effort here ... I had simply gone down as Channel 7 was supposed to meet with the regional Bio there ... but that was changed to in town so we just stumbled across the activity. Hoh Tribe was instrumental in this one ...