Issaquah Pairs Salmon Hatchery Upgrade With Lake Sammamish Trail Restoration

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:45:00 -0700

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Against the backdrop of returning Chinook salmon thrashing up Issaquah Creek, city and state officials on Friday announced paired investments that link fish recovery to downtown revitalization: a $6.8 million modernization of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery and a 1.3-mile restoration of the Rainier Trail and Lake Sammamish shoreline.

The hatchery, operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and owned by the city since 1936, releases about 2 million Chinook and coho smolts annually. The upgrade — funded by $4.1 million from the state capital budget, $1.7 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and $1 million from the nonprofit Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (FISH) — will replace raceways dating to the 1970s, install recirculating water systems to reduce disease, and add an educational viewing bridge accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Issaquah on The Eastside Ledger

Issaquah Pairs Salmon Hatchery Upgrade With Lake Sammamish Trail Restoration