A fish rescue on the Deschutes River this past weekend organized by the Irrigation Districts and several conservation groups had mixed results after several pools dried out faster than anyone predicted. Some fish were successfully transported into the main channel but one pool near Lava Island dried out and left several thousand fish dead. Dr. Michael Tripp, a spokeperson for the Coalition For the Deschutes says complex hydrology and a check- dam that was likely installed by kayakers, threw off the timing of the rescue by a full day. Estimated water levels (flowing from the main river into side-channels) were high on Friday and dropped suddenly and unexpectadly overnight. Dr. Tripp said that each year fish mortalities are a reality of the draw down of water out of Wikkiup Reservoir which is currently at 11% capacity. Tripp also said that a more consistant year-round flow would increase "in-flow" into side channels and eliminate a need to rescue so many stranded fish in the future.