LAPUSH — Ruby Swagerty sat behind the counter at Three Rivers Resort, ready to help the fishermen who’d normally be filtering in during the afternoon.
Only Tuesday, Swagerty was alone and the resort’s general store was empty.
Five cabins usually filled by sport anglers were also empty, and Swagerty’s husband, Scott, a fishing guide, was busy building a new fish-cleaning station outside.
The overall closure of West End rivers — to tribal and sport anglers alike — will end after substantial rainfall comes.
Olympic National Park, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribes coordinated the closures, which took effect last week on the Quillayute River system and early Tuesday on the Hoh, Quinault, Queets and Clearwater rivers and their tributaries.
The reason: Low river flows that even some long-timers say are the worst they’ve seen.
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The rest of the story appears in the Wednesday Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.
