Wednesday July 16, 2025
KPQ News Radio —
State officials have announced $30 million in new grants to remove salmon-blocking culverts and reopen critical fish habitat across Washington.
The funding—awarded by the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board—comes through a joint effort from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Recreation and Conservation Office.
Chelan County will receive $740,000 to fix outdated culverts and other road barriers that prevent salmon from reaching their spawning grounds.
Kaylee Kautz, who manages the program, says that over the past decade, the board has removed 63 barriers and restored nearly 180 miles of stream access for salmon and steelhead.
Culverts—those large pipes that carry water beneath roads—can become major obstacles when they’re too small or improperly installed. The state estimates more than 20,000 such barriers still exist across Washington.
Megan Duffy, with the Recreation and Conservation Office, says landowners are key partners in the work. If you think there’s a fish-blocking culvert on your property, reach out to your local habitat biologist.
And locally, $350,000 in grants last year funded five culvert restoration projects on Eagle Creek, a tributary of Chumstick Creek in the Wenatchee River watershed.
These grants are part of a larger push to restore salmon runs and improve river health statewide.