As far as the Wynoochee is concerned both the Corps and Tacoma Power is concerned they have met every requirement placed upon the dam when built and power generation later on. That the Wynoochee suffered is undeniable but both ponied up but it was the WDG & WDF now WDFW that seriously screwed the pooch. With salmon it was WDF that did not require mitigation for salmon and WDG wanting to use Aberdeen Lake Hatchery rather than build a proper facility was a fiasco for the ages.

Now the Summerrun Steelhead bit is something that could be done. We have no wild Summerrun Steelies so genetics are not and issue. Timing is different so cross breeding is not an issue. Outside mitigation Coho cost a lot to rear Coho and Winter Steelhead and if instead of these programs the monies reared Summerrun and properly placed throughout the basin the economic return would be huge. Chinook are the same as freshwater time is limited take much less space in a hatchery and feed cost is minimal to 80 the pound release.

It takes a different view of how to utilize hatcheries without destroying the wild fish. Since hatcheries were placed under Fish Program harvest managers the system has just about collapsed and I doubt the harvest division of WDFD in Olympia has a clue on how to chart a different direction. All they know how to kill fish on paper.