Each spring, thousands of peamouth minnows travel from Lake Washington to Kelsey Creek in Bellevue to spawn. The foot-long fish fill the stream in a matter of hours, and the females lay eggs and the males fertilize them. The fish depart the next day as quickly as they arrived.

Residents who want to see the fish when they make one of their lightning visits now have a way to get the news fast. With help from the volunteer “Stream Team,” which monitors Bellevue streams for peamouth and salmon, the city will notify residents as soon as the peamouth are spotted.

Through e-mail alerts, residents will receive e-mails or text messages on their phones, whichever they prefer. The alert will announce the time and location of a sighting, for those who want to view the phenomenon.

People can go to the city website, at http://www.bellevuewa.gov/peamouth.htm, to sign up for peamouth alerts.