14041 Wind River Highway
Carson, WA 98610
509-427-5905
Hatchery Manager - John Hitron
Directions
Carson National Fish Hatchery is at the confluence of Tyee Creek and the Wind
River, 14 miles north of the Columbia River, about 60 miles east of Vancouver,
Washington. To visit the hatchery, turn north off State Route 14 at the Wind
River Highway, about 3 miles east of Stevenson, WA, and continue for 14 miles
to the hatchery. Visitors are welcome from 7:30 am until 4:00 pm daily. Call
in advance for information about group tours, lectures on fish culture, and
dates of hatchery activities.
Hatchery
History
The Carson National Fish Hatchery, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps,
began rearing salmon and trout in 1937. During the 1980s, the hatchery began
rearing spring Chinook salmon exclusively. Because of the loss and degradation
of spawning habitat and the impact of dams on migration, the spring Chinook
was in rapid decline. Since 1960, hatchery production has helped spring Chinook
populations recover in the lower Columbia River.
Today Carson releases more than 1.1 million smolts (young salmon) annually. Funding for the Carson National Fish Hatchery is through Mitchell Act funds, which are administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
When
to Visit...
Best times to visit are May through August to view adult salmon returning
up the ladder into the hatchery; March to see fry being marked with coded
wire tags before being released; and August to see the spawning process. Young
fish may be viewed all year.
