Ballard Locks Fish Ladder
2930 W Commodore Way, Seattle, Washington 98199
Detailed Information
Lake Washington salmon have been counted each year since 1972 as they enter freshwater at the Ballard Locks on Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal. Currently, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Muckleshoot Indian Tribe staff conduct the counts cooperatively to determine if there are sufficient sockeye to open fishing seasons.
Sockeye counts begin on June 12 each year and go through July in order to provide consistent data from year to year. The sockeye are counted daily during set time periods as they pass through both the locks and the fishway, and the counts are converted into a daily total number of fish passing upstream.
