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.

Salmon returns drive urgency

FISH Executive Director Jane Kueho said 2025 returns were encouraging — about 18,000 Chinook counted at the weir — but warm water in Lake Sammamish killed an estimated 12 percent of early migrants.

“Every degree matters,” Kueho said. “Shading the creek and cooling the raceways is survival, not beautification.”

Department of Fish and Wildlife hatchery manager Bill Smith said the new system would cut water use by 40 percent and allow temperature control during September heat events, which have become more frequent since 2020.

Trail restoration: what changes

The Rainier Trail segment from NW Gilman Boulevard to Lake Sammamish State Park will be widened to 12 feet with a separated soft-surface jogging path, 240 native cedar and Douglas fir plantings, two pedestrian bridges redecked, and a daylighted 300-foot side channel for kokanee spawning.

Issaquah Parks Director Emily Arthun said construction, scheduled for May–October 2027, will require weekday detours via SE 56th Street but will keep weekend access open for the popular Salmon Days festival, which draws more than 150,000 visitors each October.

Historic Front Street merchants, many in buildings dating to the 1900s, largely welcomed the plan. Kelly Richardson, owner of the XXX Rootbeer Drive-In landmark since 2018, said trail closures in 2024 cost her 8 percent of summer revenue but called the long-term payoff “obvious.”

“People come for salmon, stay for burgers, and come back for hikes,” Richardson said. “That’s Issaquah.”

Growth pressures

Issaquah, population about 41,000, has approved more than 1,800 housing units in the Central Issaquah and Lake Sammamish areas since 2022. Environmental groups, including the Issaquah Alps Trails Club, conditioned their support on enforceable protections for Issaquah Creek flows during construction.

City Council President Victoria Hunt said the council will consider a construction runoff ordinance and a lighting standard to protect nocturnal wildlife at its Oct. 6 meeting.

“We can build homes and save salmon, but only if the creek wins ties,” Hunt said. “That will be the test in every permit.”

Tribal consultation

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, both with treaty fishing rights in the Lake Sammamish watershed, were consulted on the design. Muckleshoot fisheries biologist Mike Mahovlich said the side-channel daylighting was added at the Tribe’s request and could increase kokanee egg-to-fry survival by an estimated 18 percent.

If you go

• Salmon viewing: Best late September through October at the hatchery, 125 W. Sunset Way. Free; donations support FISH education programs.
• Trail detours: Full maps posted at City Hall and on the city’s website beginning April 2027.
• Volunteers: FISH seeks 60 docents for Salmon Days (Oct. 4–5, 2026). Training Sept. 29.