Salmon Run Slows at Tumwater Falls
They Don't All Make It
In late September I made my first-ever visit to Tumwater Falls and lucked into a salmon surfeit. Today I returned to a moribund migration.
Eighteen days ago, the Deschutes was teeming with fish. The mass moved toward falls and ladders, gradually working its way upstream. I watched leaping migrants for about 10 minutes. Most failed to ascend the cascade. Instinct seemed to keep their attention on the drop and churn of the falls, preventing them from noticing the simpler route, a bypassing fish ladder. I observed hundreds of hopefuls that afternoon.
Today, in contrast, I saw only singles and a few small clusters. More obvious were fading fish lying sideways. Their fins moved weakly, whether through vanishing energy or passing currents. Only one carcass caught my eye, though. It's depicted below.
Elsewhere, some runs will continue further into fall, but apparently this timing is just about normal here. Next year I'll remember: Visit early and often.
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