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LLTK’s Lilliwaup Hatchery Damaged by Flooding —
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The fierce storm that hit western Washington earlier this month caused landslides and flash floods around Hood Canal, where LLTK operates its Lilliwaup Creek Hatchery.

“The extent of damage to the west bank of Hood Canal is hard to describe,” reported Michael Schmidt, LLTK Director of Fish Programs, who traveled to the area on December 4. “Much of highway 101 is inaccessible, with at least twenty landslides having occurred between Quilcene and the Skokomish River on the south end of the Canal. In some areas, the highway is covered with up to five feet of sediment.”

Lilliwaup Hatchery, which is the primary rearing facility for the Hood Canal Steelhead Project and also houses yearling Chinook and summer Chum programs, experienced extensive damage from flash flooding. Hatchery Manager Rick Endicott was on site during the storm.

“This is dramatically worse than anything that’s happened here before,” Rick said. “During the storm, there was no power, no phone, no heat, and the road was impassable so no one could get here. The equipment was submerged in 3 feet of water,” Rick said. “All I had was a flashlight. I felt helpless.”

Landslides in Lilliwaup Creek and in Beardslee Creek, the main water supply for the hatchery, deposited three to four feet of sediment and rock in and around the facility, leaving the hatchery’s main intake clogged with gravel. The water outlet and the adjacent settling pond were buried, preventing water from draining out of the tanks and the hatchery building once the floodwaters subsided. Floodwater eroded the gravel base under at least two 20-foot rearing tanks, causing them to sink to one side.

“Hatchery equipment was severely damaged,” Rick said. “We’re covered in mud; everything was submerged in water and mud and all of our gas or electric tools need to be repaired. Two hatchery trucks and a trailer were lodged in sediment and will need to be extracted and moved to higher ground.”

Half of the yearling Chinook (25,000 of 50,000) and all (~70,000) of the Lilliwaup summer chum (listed as threatened under ESA) being reared at the facility died when both the main water supply and backup pumps failed. All 11,000+ steelhead (also listed as threatened), which were located in tanks operated by a separate gravity-fed back-up water supply, were not impacted and survived. Summer chum being reared at a remote site on John’s Creek also survived.

LLTK is currently working to correct the hatchery drainage and restore the main water line. Staff have reinforced the remaining water supply for the steelhead and borrowed a backup pump from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife while LLTK’s pumps are repaired. Power has been restored to the facility.

“Although the damage to Lilliwaup Hatchery is serious,” said Michael Schmidt, “gratefully no one was injured and Rick Endicott was on site during the storm to do what he could to keep as many fish as possible alive.”

While insurance will cover damaged property, the most urgent need is to ensure that the Lilliwaup Hatchery is stable. This will require excavation, dredging, earth moving, and tree removal.

To contribute to the repair effort, please click the DonateNow button above right.