Clare Jensen at the Puyallup Tribal News:

Puyallup Tribal Fisheries Department, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and representatives from the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) met June 8 to debrief on the next steps for Electron Dam, a plant that has historically had a significant impact on salmon resources.

In 1997 the Tribe joined forces with PSE to form a resource enhancement agreement, which has guided practices and improvements at the dam.

Completed in 1904, the dam blocked salmon passage until a fish ladder was constructed in 2000 under an agreement between the Tribe and PSE.

Now the Tribe and PSE are looking at more ways to improve fish passage through the dam, especially in regard to Chinook, steelhead and bull trout, all species that run through the dam and are also on the endangered species list.