Clearing the Air About the Minto Fish Trap on the North Santiam River

Due to the age, the facility is closed to the public, but it will reopen by 2012 and will also feature a trail system.

Photos by Gerrit Roelof Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - When a public place suddenly closes it’s doors (or gates), people often want to know why. In the absence of easily accessed information, rumors can fill the gap.

This has been the case with the Minto Fish Trap on the North Santiam River. In my case, I had always heard that the trap was closed because they were having problems with theft (people getting into the tanks at night and stealing fish).

I found this news very unfortunate, and a sad statement on our community.

Well, a few years later, I finally decided to do a little research. And guess what? It wasn’t closed because of criminal activity at all.

I had the opportunity to speak with Greg Grenbemer at the Marion Forks Fish Hatchery. This hatchery is also responsible for running the Minto Fish Trap.

Mr. Grenbemer explained that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) inspected the facility and determined it was un-safe for the public.

They closed it to public access in 2006. I suppose there should be little surprise there, since it was originally built in the 1950’s.

The ACE is in the process of rebuilding and renovating the trap, and plan to open it back up to the public around 2012. They propose to have visitor facilities here, as well as informational kiosks.

Since the ACE owns the land, and pays for more than ¾ of the funding, they are taking the lead in the improvements.

Personally, I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I have fond memories of standing at the rail, and staring at all the salmon and steelhead swirling in the deep pool below the spillway.

Grenbemer also informed me about a potential trail system that may include a connection to the new facility. The North Santiam Canyon Environmental Development Corporation has put together a plan to build a network of trails in the Santiam Canyon.

This network will run from Lyons to Idanha, and connect each of the communities, as well as other historic and recreational sites.

The NSCEDC has posted a great deal of information about this trail system on it’s website: growsantiam.org.

The trail system will be called “Canyon Journeys”. Now that I’m in the research mode, perhaps I’ll do some digging and see how far along this new trail system is.