Klamath Hatchery Reopens
The ODFW facility near Fort Klamath is open to the public again after a five-year rebuild following a 2020 wildFire.
FORT KLAMATH, Ore. — Klamath Hatchery is open to the public again after more than five years of recovery and rebuilding following the 2020 Two Four Two Fire.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the hatchery reopened June 1, marking the end of a long reconstruction process after the original 100-year-old hatchery building near Fort Klamath was destroyed in the fire.
Visitors to the rebuilt facility will find fish-viewing areas, restrooms, picnic spots and opportunities to observe ODFW fish-rearing operations. ODFW said the access road to the hatchery has soft shoulders in several sections because of past fire damage, and visitors are encouraged to drive carefully.
The Two Four Two Fire burned near Chiloquin and the Fort Klamath area in September 2020. On Sept. 8, hatchery staff evacuated after securing the facility and gathering what they could. The next morning, the hatchery manager attempted to approach the site but could only view it from about a half mile away as flames moved across the hillside above the hatchery.
Smoke soon rose from the hatch house and office complex, prompting a 911 call. With firefighting resources stretched thin across the region, only a small number of volunteer firefighters reached the site.
The original Klamath Hatchery building burns during the 2020 Two Four Two Fire near Fort Klamath. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife facility reopened to the public June 1 after more than five years of recovery and rebuilding. Photo courtesy of ODFW.
Using hatchery water pumps to draw from rearing ponds and the facility’s tractor to clear brush and cut a fire line, volunteers shifted their efforts toward saving the remaining structures. ODFW said their actions likely saved staff residences and multiple outbuildings.
The main hatchery building was destroyed, along with approximately 50,000 triploid brown trout, including 20,000 destined for Diamond Lake.
Design work began within months of the fire, but the rebuild became more complicated after crews discovered Indigenous and historic cultural resources during debris cleanup. ODFW commissioned a full archaeological survey, which concluded the hatchery building could be reconstructed in its original location.
The agency’s Engineering Section then finalized plans for a modern concrete, non-combustible building. During an initial pre-bid site meeting, however, engineers found excessive moisture in the footprint of the former building. A geotechnical consultant later determined the existing soils could not support the heavier concrete design.
That finding required a full foundation redesign using driven steel piles. ODFW said 81 steel piles now support the new hatchery building, with another 50 piles beneath the tall retaining wall behind the structure.
"Rebuilding the Klamath Hatchery required us to confront challenges we couldn't have anticipated," said Ryan McCormick, ODFW Chief Engineer. "Installing more than 130 steel piles was a major undertaking, but it ensured this facility will stand for generations. The new hatchery is safer, more resilient, and built to support the basin's future fish production needs."
ODFW completed the rebuild in two phases. The first phase included demolition, site work, steel pile installation, partial foundation construction and retaining wall installation. The second phase included completing the foundation, civil site work and construction of the new hatchery building.
The new building is slightly larger than the original, and its rearing room was redesigned to provide expanded capacity. ODFW said the updated space supports the hatchery’s primary trout production and provides additional flexibility for other fish propagation needs in the basin.
Cover image: The rebuilt Klamath Hatchery near Fort Klamath is open to the public again after the original hatchery building was destroyed during the 2020 Two Four Two Fire. Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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