Tuesday August 4, 2026
The Pulse —
Engineers have been seeking new methods to assist the native species migrating upstream past this point for several years.
Recently, researchers tested an unconventional method using only fifty frightening-looking fish. They hoped the animals would leave behind a chemical trail as they moved downstream. The goal was not to increase their numbers.
Instead, other migrating fish were meant to detect the scent they left behind.
That trail eventually became part of efforts to recover an endangered native fish species.
Not every fish could make the journey
Bonneville Dam is located at the confluence of the Columbia River in both Oregon and Washington. The dam creates hydroelectric energy and controls flow within the river.
Although the dam provides fish passage systems, not all species utilize the fish passage systems equally. Salmon often use fish ladders effectively when migrating.
However, other native fish species are challenged much more than salmon when utilizing the fish passage systems.
Over the last few decades, scientists have studied how various species react to such obstacles.