The original hydroelectric system on Zena Creek was constructed in the 1950s and consists of an earthen dam, impoundment pond, metal pipe/penstock, a pump house and powerhouse. The Zena Creek Fish Passage Project is part of a larger concurrent project (the Zena Creek Power Project) that proposes to replace the existing antiquated hydroelectric system with a more efficient and smaller hydroelectric system, a solar photoelectric array, and battery storage.

The new power system will significantly reduce the amount of water that is diverted from Zena Creek, which will in turn benefit bull trout, steelhead, Chinook salmon and other aquatic organisms such as the Idaho Giant Salamander.

The Zena Creek Fish Passage Project was funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in April, 2023. Project partners include the Nez Perce Tribe, Zena Creek Ranch, and several federal agencies.