Published 9:08 am Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Over three days last week, an annual fish rescue effort at Lava Island Falls in the Upper Deschutes netted and released more than 8,000 fish.

A total of 8,113 fish were recovered from the side channel at Lava Island Falls, which dries up each October due to Wickiup Dam operations. The total included 6,466 rainbow trout, 37 brown trout, five mountain whitefish, 1,578 sculpin and 27 kokanee.

Ben Briscoe, a field biologist with Mount Hood Environmental, the consultancy hired to lead the project, said the number of fish recovered this year was “within the range we normally see each year.”

Typically, around 6,500 to 7,000 fish are recovered each year. Last year was an exception, when 10,222 fish were recovered.…