​​​​​​​WDFW asks farmers to help save fish and contact department before shutting down irrigation systems

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Photo by WDFW

YAKIMA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking farmers and other irrigators to contact them two to four weeks before shutting down irrigation systems for the season. Prior notification allows WDFW staff to rescue fish in irrigation canals and return them to their stream.

In Washington, it is common for people to divert or pump water from streams through irrigation canals to water crops and livestock. Fish also enter these canals and divert back to the stream. However, when the irrigation season ends and the canals empty, chinook salmon, steelhead, and other fish species can become stranded.

“We are available to help people shut down their irrigation systems in a way that protects fish,” said Danny Didricksen, WDFW fish screening manager. “We work with diking districts, irrigation districts, and individual farmers to rescue trapped fish and return them to their stream. We hope everyone who uses irrigation systems will take advantage of this free service.”

In addition to contacting WDFW before irrigation shut down, WDFW encourages people to slowly decrease diversion flows over several days to urge fish to migrate out of the irrigation system and back to the stream on their own.

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Photo by WDFW

“We recommend people leave a minimum flow of 50 inches (1 cubic foot per second) in their ditch to give us time to relocate any stranded fish,” Didricksen said. 

Contact Danny Didricksen at 509-571-5559 or Ray Gilmour at 509-575-2743 for help rescuing fish from your irrigation system.

More information on irrigation diversions and fish protection is available on WDFW's website.  

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is the state agency tasked with preserving, protecting, and perpetuating fish, wildlife and ecosystems, while providing sustainable fishing, hunting, and other recreation opportunities.