North Umpqua The River of Thundering Waters

“Where wild winter and summer Steelhead were born of fire and fury.”

Born between two memorable Cascade Peaks — the former Mount Mazama (known now as Crater Lake) and iconic Mount Thielsen, the North Umpqua pours through sudden clefts in the basalt and gathers hundreds of other waters on its journey to the Pacific. In turn, wild runs of six anadromous salmonids bring the ocean’s energy 140 miles back to the Coast Range and Cascades. 

The North Umpqua River is born between Crater Lake and Mt. Thielsen.

In the aftermath of the Archie Creek Fire in 2020 (the tenth major wildfire in the watershed since 2002), North Umpqua residents learned of the loss of multiple landmarks including Frank and Jeannie Moore’s home, as well as most of the Rock Creek Hatchery. Initial (and ongoing) concerns focused on the salvage and hazard-tree logging that began in sensitive areas even as the smoldering stumps were reduced to ash. 

Archie Creek Fire September 2020

 The near total destruction of the Rock Creek Hatchery and the loss of hatchery summer steelhead broodstock created an opening to discuss the efficacy of the program and the wisdom of rebuilding a poorly performing hatchery threatened by climate change impacts.

Rock Creek Hatchery and a glimpse of the salvage logging efforts.

By January 2021, the North Umpqua Coalition formed — consisting of Native Fish Society, Oregon Council of Flyfishers International, Pacific Rivers, The Conservation Angler, The North Umpqua Foundation, The Steamboaters, Trout Unlimited and Umpqua Watersheds. 

The North Umpqua Coalition collectively determined that Oregon should manage the North Umpqua River as a wild steelhead watershed — which would result in securing the North Umpqua as the only river in Oregon managed for both wild winter and summer steelhead. 

The North Umpqua Coalition focused its advocacy on educating the Fish and Wildlife Commission about the wild summer steelhead and their iconic status as a gamefish pursued by anglers from around the world, as well as their incredible diversity and unique life history attributes. 

Then the 2021 return of wild summer steelhead entering the North Umpqua dropped to its lowest level in recorded history (fewer than 500 wild fish) and all angling was closed in early August.  This alarming development sparked a very close examination of state steelhead management on the North Umpqua by both the NUC and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) which launched a detailed limiting factors analysis - and was released a mere three weeks before a critical April 22nd Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting.

Record low counts of wild summer steelhead in 2021 demanded action.

But before ODFW finished their assessment, TCA’s Legal and Policy Director Rob Kirschner worked almost non-stop analyzing the rules and policies ODFW was supposed to abide by, and his work provided the policy and legal foundation for the NUC’s successful advocacy that brought this critical decision before the Commission. TCA’s Director of Science John McMillan delivered a compelling 11-minute statement to the Commissioners that completely defeated ODFW’s own scientific assessment that found “no evidence of adverse impacts” from the hatchery program.

ODFW’s assessment stated that hatchery planting since 1952 had no effect on the wild summer fish despite long term data showing the number of hatchery summer steelhead far-exceeded management limits. Exceeding management limits is proof of harm to wild steelhead diversity. To not include hatchery practices as a limiting factor on the North Umpqua was like omitting "heat" or “hydro” from a limiting factors analysis on the Columbia River. 

The graphic represents results of ODFW’s own research in 1994 by McGie et al.

 The Coalition used ODFW’s own data (which they decided not to cite in their official report) to show that there is a correlation between hatchery releases and wild steelhead productivity declines. ODFW’s decision to leave hatchery impacts off their limiting factors list was a tactical error - an inconsistency that behaved like an overt omission and it undermined the ODFW Staff conclusion (especially considering their own recommended action included a large reduction of hatchery smolt releases). If there was truly no problem with hatchery impacts on wild summer steelhead - then to what end was the staff recommendation to reduce smolt releases? 

North Umpqua Coalition Panel before the Fish and WIldlife Commission in Astoria with John McMillan on the right. Photo by Bob Swingle, ODFW

The Oregon Commission voted 4-3 to not release the 78,000 summer steelhead smolts being reared and to PERMANENTLY discontinue the summer steelhead hatchery program — making the North Umpqua a completely wild steelhead system — a major, ground shifting step. 

The Commission decision has created an earthquake beneath the hatchery industrial complex – in the past 30 years, one hatchery has been closed (for water supply issues). This, despite the widespread and deep body of scientific literature documenting the adverse effects of hatcheries on wild salmon and steelhead. The news of this decision has been reported in more than 20 media outlets across the west.

TCA played a pivotal role in the coalition’s big win for wild steelhead.

Subsequent to the Commission decision, several parties filed a lawsuit challenging the Commission action, winning a partial victory securing the release of the hatchery smolts — though all evidence shows it was a poor decision as the fish had passed their migratory window and are likely residualizing in high numbers.

The parties about to appear before Marin County Circuit Court Judge Wren

The Commission’s critical management decision has been temporarily paused until a hearing on the merits takes place this Fall. The Commission’s decision to eliminate the summer steelhead hatchery program on the North Umpqua should withstand the legal challenge and will aid in the recovery of this declining wild population. 

Looking towards a wild future for the North Umpqua photo by Dorothy Brown

The Coalition has already pivoted to the hard work of defending in court what is a great decision for wild steelhead. There has been little time to celebrate - as the truth of the matter is that wild steelhead — particularly summer steelhead — are in trouble Pacific coast-wide.