Whitman Mission National Historic Site - Fish

Mill Creek flows into the Walla Walla River about one-half mile west of Whitman Mission. Steelhead, carp, and sunfish are the most common species of fish recently identified in Mill Creek. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified bull trout and the National Marine Fisheries Service has identified native steelhead in the area. Both are federally listed species, but there have been no documented sightings within park waters. In May, 2002 the park staff sighted hour hatchery steelhead in Doan Creek within the park. This is the first sighting in anyone’s memory of either kind of steelhead within the park. No other information is available concerning fish in the waters running through the park. Doan Creek is used as a source for irrigation water for Whitman Mission as well as other irrigators upstream and downstream of the park. Many of the irrigation pump intakes or diversion boxes along Doan Creek do not have adequate fish screens to prevent fish from entering irrigation ditches or being sucked into water pumps. Land owners along the Walla Walla River, Mill Creek, and other streams in Walla Walla are working with the state to install improved fish screens at irrigation intakes so fish are not killed.