T1-RJS Joint Venture Advances Critical Fish Passage Upgrades at Mud Mountain Dam Enumclaw, WA

The T1-RJS Joint Venture has been awarded a top-priority project to rehabilitate and upgrade critical infrastructure at the Mud Mountain Dam (MMD) fish passage facility, a system essential for maintaining salmon migration and supporting tribal fisheries.

Located six miles downstream of the dam, the fish passage system is a unique combination of a barrier structure owned by Cascade Water Alliance (CWA), a fish trap operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and a haul-and-release site upstream of the dam. This system ensures the natural migration of pink salmon and other species past MMD and provides the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe with access to brood stock for its adjacent hatchery. Each year, from mid-August to mid-October, multiple trucks equipped with specialized trailers operate around the clock to transport fish safely upstream.

The T1-RJS team was tasked with a diverse and technically demanding scope of work to ensure the 2023 salmon run could proceed without disruption. The project included retrofitting and upgrading fish transportation equipment, implementing freeze protection improvements, upgrading existing hoists, enhancing fall protection systems, performing metal repairs, improving fish tagging systems, upgrading gate structures, and removing a large debris boom. These upgrades were critical to improving operational efficiency, safety, and reliability for all stakeholders involved.

Throughout procurement and construction, T1-RJS maintained a commitment to excellence and transparency, working closely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and other stakeholders to deliver the project within an attainable budget. This collaborative approach reflects the team’s reputation for integrity and performance, ensuring that critical infrastructure challenges are resolved safely, on time, and within budget.

With a contract value of $4.57 million and a completion date of June 29, 2024, this project underscores T1-RJS’s ability to execute complex, environmentally sensitive projects that support both ecological sustainability and community needs.