Chester Dam allowing fish to travel upriver

A fish ladder is allowing fish to swim upriver to Fall River drainage.

The irrigation dam has been there for more than 70 years, but the facility allowed Fall River Electric to partner with conservation groups, who funded the construction of the ladder.

“For the first time in the history at this facility and this portion of the Henry’s Fork at the Snake River, fish are able to migrate from downriver to upriver and for the first time get into the Fall River drainage, which they have never been able to do from downstream,” says Ted Austin, communication manager for Fall River Electric.

Fall River Electric is just waiting on the final approval from FERC.

“That’s based on their review of construction versus what the project was intended to do, the design of the project,” says Austin.