Oregon Public Broadcasting

For Pacific Northwest fish, this week was momentous.

A salmon ventured through a multi-million-dollar fish passage on the Deschutes River.

From Bend, Ethan Lindsey reports it was the first trip past the Pelton and Round Butte dams in 40 years.

Ryan Houston, with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, sent out a giddy email that read: “Someday in the future you’ll be able to say ‘I remember when the first fish started its journey downstream.’"

PGE spokesman Steve Colson says a dozen salmon have now made the historic journey.

Steve Colson: “I doubt if they were lined up, you know, saying ‘me first, me first.’ But in any case, we’re very pleased. There is still lots of testing yet to go, and some of the final finish work to do before we call the final project complete.”

The passage was especially significant because of the collapse of a key underwater tower in April. It delayed the opening, and is now in the hands of lawyers wrangling over costs.

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, PGE and others have spent tens-of-millions of dollars to reopen the Deschutes River to salmon migration.