Hours
7:30 a.m. to dusk
Location
12208 SE Evergreen Hwy.
Vancouver, WA 98663
Tel. 360.882.0936
Fax. 360.882.8064
Columbia Springs Partners
Clark Public Utilities
Clark Public Utilities is a customer-owned electric, water, and sewer provider in Clark County. When Clark Public Utilities diversified its power supply to generate its own electricity, purchase power from a variety of suppliers, and reduce its purchases from the Bonneville Power Administration, it looked for other ways to support fish and wildlife activities and environmental programs. Some of these funds were committed to funding the Vancouver Trout Hatchery. Clark Public Utilities signed a twenty-year agreement with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to support the continued operations of the hatchery. Because of this agreement, Clark Public Utilities helped save the hatchery from closure. Keeping the hatchery operational provides support for sport fishing in the county, an increase in urban greenspace, and a site for environmental education.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) operates the Vancouver Trout Hatchery located at Columbia Springs. In the 1990s, with increased construction and development in the area, water output from the various springs decreased significantly. With less water available, hatchery productivity was reduced. This situation and WDFW budget constraints nearly closed the ahtchery. But by entering into a twenty-year agreement with Clark Public Utilities, WDFW has kept the facility open and producing fish. The hatchery and its operations have been incorporated into Columbia Springs' programs. WDFW property north of Highway 14 is a protected watershed to provide water for hatchery operations.
City of Vancouver
The City of Vancouver, through Vancouver-Clark parks and Recreation, owns land on the west and east ends of Columbia Springs and an area on the north side of Highway 14. The area on the west end, called the Biddle Natural Preserve, was donated by the Wood Family. There is a one-third mile interpretive trail and two bird-viewing blinds. The Biddle Natural Preserve is connected to Columbia Springs by a section of the Lewis and Clark Discovery Greenway trail. The City of Vancouver coordinates recreational and historical interpretation activities at Columbia Springs.
Evergreen School District
Evergreen Public Schools became a partner at Columbia Springs in 1997. Evergreen coordinates environmental education for students from pre-school to high school. The school district used the hatchery for informal tours for a number of years. With the opening of the SWIFT Classroom in 1998, educational activities and field trips are now available to all public, private, and home-schooled students on a regular basis. Environmental education lessons ranging from one and one-half to two hours, meeting a variety of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements, are taught at Columbia Springs. Additionally, many students come to Columbia Springs for service learning projects. Last school year more than 7,000 pre K-12 students and 1,700 adult chaperones participated in these activities.
Clark College
Clark College coordinates post secondary educational activities at Columbia Springs. The college became a partner in 1997. Many Clark College students visit in conjunction with their science classes. These students also come to Columbia Springs for community service projects. Other colleges including Lower Columbia and City University use the site for in-the-field activities.
