Built in 1948, Mud Mountain Dam gets a $112 million fish passage project to help salmon migrate

When Mud Mountain Dam was completed in 1948 along Washington State's White River, its purpose was straightforward. The earthen structure was built to reduce flooding across downstream communities, protecting homes, businesses and farmland from damaging seasonal flows. Fish passage existed from the beginning, but it reflected the engineering standards of another era. As salmon populations declined and environmental protections strengthened over the following decades, the ageing system no longer matched the needs of native species. That gradual shift in priorities eventually led to one of the largest ecological infrastructure projects ever undertaken at a US flood-control dam, combining modern engineering with long-term efforts to restore fish migration while preserving the dam's original role in protecting communities.How Mud Mountain Dam protects 400,000 homes while helping salmon reach their spawning grounds Mud Mountain Dam sits between Buckley and Tacoma in Washington State and has remained an important part of regional flood management for generations. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, the dam protects more than 400,000 homes and businesses across...