Feds award $657 million contract to get fish past dam in Tacoma Public Utilities watershed

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday that it has awarded a $657 million contract to build fish passage facilities at a flood control dam on the Green River in the watershed used for Tacoma’s drinking water.

The Howard A. Hanson Dam Additional Water Storage Fish Passage Facility Project contract went to Flatiron-Aecon Joint Venture, the Army Corps said.

“We are excited to support salmon and Orca recovery with our tribal partners, federal and state agencies, and our non-federal sponsor Tacoma Public Utilities to ensure completion of this downstream fish passage facility and support the regional water supply,” Army Corps Seattle District Commander Col. Kathryn Sanborn said in a statement.

Hanson Dam was built in 1962 primarily to control downstream flooding of the Green River. It sits a few miles upstream from TPU’s diversion dam, which channels water through pipes to Tacoma and several other municipalities.

TPU has already built a fish ladder and other fish passage facilities at the diversion dam, but they largely go unused because fish can’t get past Hanson Dam.

“Once USACE’s downstream facility is operational, the two facilities will restore the biological connection of the upper watershed (45% of total area) to the lower watershed via salmon migration,” the Army Corps said.

When Chinook salmon can get past the Hanson Dam, they’ll have access to over 100 miles of pristine river and tributary habitat. The dam and the watershed are not open to the public.