Fence Weir Installation
Our partner, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, is seeking volunteers to help them install smolt traps on various westside Port Angeles area streams. These traps will remain in place to count smolts through mid-June and consist of a fence weir and live box to hold smolts. This data collection study has been ongoing since around 2000, and helps fisheries staff determine the amount of emigrating smolts to study trends in fish numbers in local river systems.
Assisting with installation of these fence weir traps is physically demanding, so the Tribe asks that volunteers are comfortable walking on uneven surfaces and lifting heavy materials and sandbags to help place them in the river. They will have chest waders available for volunteers to borrow during the event to help stay dry and warm if needed.
Parking/rendezvous details will be emailed out to those that register, but here are some details on the site locations:
Salt Creek is located roughly 15-20 minutes west of downtown Port Angeles on Highway 112.
Deep Creek is located roughly 40-45 minutes west of downtown Port Angeles on Highway 112.
West Twim River is 35-40 minutes west of downtown Port Angeles on Highway 112.
We thank you for considering volunteering your time to help with this project. It is a very rare volunteer opportunity, so for those that are able to join it will be a great way to learn more about fish use in Port Angeles/Joyce area waterways, and get to work alongside the wonderful habitat technicians from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.