Sampling Adult Steelhead at Lower Granite Dam

We are starting to see steelhead show up to Lower Granite Dam as summer Chinook are now slowing down. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game teams up with the US Corps of Engineers, and NOAA fisheries to gain information on fish bound for Idaho waters. The adult trap (pictured) allows the team to sample adult fish from the run as they are coming through the ladder. Some of the information we gain include where these fish are likely to go (based on genetic analysis), how old these fish are, how big these fish are, and what kind of injuries do we see on these fish. A lot of management decisions for anadromous fish in Idaho are based on information we are able to get on fish here at Lower Granite before they enter Idaho waters.