Imtwaha Fish Hatchery Operations and Maintenance
FY 2026

Performance/Budget Period: January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

Background:

Walla Walla Hatchery underwent a name change in October of 2023. The new name is Imtwaha Fish Hatchery. This name holds cultural and historical significance to the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla. It is a Cayuse and Nez Perce place name of the location of the hatchery facility on the South Fork Walla Walla River. The meaning of Imtwaha is: “This river provided fishing for salmon and lamprey used by Cayuse and Walla Walla people. Spears and dip nets were used (Hunn, 2015).”

The purpose and goal of operations at Imtwaha Hatchery is to release 500,000 Spring Chinook smolts annually with all phases of production including: adult holding, incubation, early rearing, final grow-out and release (on site and off). Fish are produced to help restore spring Chinook to the Walla Walla River basin after their extirpation in the early 1900s. The project is part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC)s Fish &Wildlife program, and is a component of the Fish Accord between BPA and CTUIR.

The property is located approximately 9 miles southeast of Milton-Freewater. The facility is bordered by the South Fork Walla Walla River Road on the northeast and by the South Fork Walla Walla River on the southwest. The site is approximately 12 acres and contains the existing adult holding, spawning building, intake, pump building, shop building, generator building, pollution abatement pond and an outfall. The hatchery includes 16 vertical incubation stacks, 16 early rearing tanks, 10 grow-out tanks, a research room, feed storage room, an isolated chemical storage room, offices and administrative facilities, a conference room and a visitors center.