Salmon Saturdays 2025

Can’t join us in person? Here are some fun activities you can do on your own time to learn about the environmental and cultural importance of salmon.

• Volunteer to help salmon habitat by joining one of these work parties:
  • Swan Creek – December 7, 12-2 p.m.
  • Titlow Park – December 13, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Come learn about all things Puyallup Watershed at our symposium – new science, great projects, and time to socialize on December 9 at the Pioneer Park Pavilion from 10 am-6 pm. Click here for more information.
• Learn about stormwater pollution on the City of Tacoma’s website
• Read about salmon with Tacoma Public Library’s curated list of books

Due to an ongoing salmon habitat restoration project, vehicle and pedestrian access to this Pioneer Way entrance is closed to the public with the exception of Salmon Saturdays event times. Don’t miss this chance to welcome home the salmon in person!

The Pioneer Way entrance is located at 2820 Pioneer Way E. (Map)

Learn how becoming an Evergreen Options member can help power Tacoma with renewable energy while protecting salmon.

Our water system is awesome and starts at the Green River in the Cascade Mountains.

TPU Academy: Tacoma Water from shed to tap

Find sustainability tools and resources and use this calculator to see how much water you use every day.

Leaks can waste a lot of water, leaving less in the streams for Salmon. Silent toilet leaks are a common culprit for costly sewer and water charges. Learn how to check your toilet for leaks.

Thanks for doing your part to waste less water and leave more instream for salmon!

Tacoma Power Generation

Tacoma Power produces clean, renewable hydroelectric energy at our four hydro projects in western Washington.  We’re dedicated to protecting and restoring salmon populations through significant investments in our fisheries programs, which include:

• Four hatcheries
• Adult and juvenile collection facilities
• Habitat enhancement
• Monitoring and evaluation programs

Read more about TPU fisheries programs:

• Cushman Hydro Project
• Cowlitz River Project
• Nisqually River Project
• Wynoochee River Project

More actions we can take to protect salmon

Tacoma Public Utilities provides customers with power and water, while the City of Tacoma provides customers with garbage/recycling, wastewater, and stormwater services. Together, our everyday choices help keep local waterways clean and support healthy salmon habitats.

Some actions we can take to protect salmon include:

• Conserve electricity and water. TPU has lots of great tips and rebates to help.
• Follow all fishing guidelines and rules to avoid overfishing wild salmon and practice proper catch-and-release protocol to avoid harming fish.
• Stay on trails when hiking or riding. Never ride your bike or off-highway vehicle in creeks or fragile wetlands that are home to salmon.
• Reduce, or eliminate single-use plastics. Microplastics can be very damaging for salmon to consume.
• Make it a habit to use reusable water bottles and containers.
• Buy microbead-free products.
• Wear your clothes more than once, when possible, to reduce washing. Our clothes shed tiny microfibers that do not get filtered out.
• Wear natural fiber clothing. Those fibers will biodegrade over time.
• Buy items in bulk rather than individually wrapped.
• Use the bus, carpool, ride your bike, or walk whenever and wherever you can. This keeps the air and water clean for all of us, including salmon.
• Get involved! Volunteer with your community to help restore wetlands and riparian zones.
• Share what you know. Tell your neighbors, friends, and parents what you’ve learned and teach them how they can help salmon, too.
• The EnviroChallengers have lots of great content about how to be a super steward of the environment!
• Recycle Right: City of Tacoma residents can learn about responsible recycling and use the “What Goes Where” tool to help make good recycling decisions.
• Safely dispose of batteries, motor oil, and other hazardous wastes.
• Safely dispose of unused and expired medicine instead of trashing or flushing it, which eventually finds its way into streams and salmon. Find drop-off locations on the Tacoma Pierce-County Health Department website and the Take Back Your Meds
• Scoop your dog’s poop — bag it and put it in the garbage. Did you know that pet waste is filled with bacteria? It is not good for people or stream critters.
• Wash your car at a commercial car wash; this will send water to a treatment plant to keep pollutants out of the local water.
• Check your car for oil leaks and fix them quickly.
• Reduce runoff – stormwater is NOT treated, unlike wastewater, and flows directly to our streams, lakes, and marine waters. Never dump liquids with chemicals down storm drains. Salmon cannot live in polluted water.
• Garden for healthy streams and to protect backyard wildlife habitat.
• Compost and then use the compost instead of fertilizer for your garden and plants. This helps reduce waste and keeps chemicals and fertilizers out of our rivers and streams.
• Plant native plants. Native plants are better adapted to the environment, so they need less water and do not need fertilizer or pesticides. This saves water for the salmon and keeps the rivers healthier.
• Plant a rain garden to filter stormwater runoff.

Salmon Names Song

Salmon Life Cycle Song

Salmon Life Cycle Video

Chum Salmon Life Cycle Video