California Department of Fish and Game Klamath-Trinity Project Techniques Used To Monitor Naturally Spawning Chinook Salmon Escapement Levels In the Klamath

California Department of Fish and GameCalifornia Department of Fish and Game

Klamath-Trinity ProjectKlamath-Trinity Project

Techniques Used To Monitor Naturally Techniques Used To Monitor Naturally Spawning Chinook Salmon Escapement Spawning Chinook Salmon Escapement

Levels In the Klamath BasinLevels In the Klamath Basin


Introduction and Background:Introduction and Background:

1. Fall Chinook have been monitored basin wide since 1978.

2. Three tribes, the Hoopa, Yurok and Karuk, reside along the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. The Hoopa and Yurok tribes have federally recognized and protected fishing rights.

3. The basin supports a large sport fishery estimated to be worth millions of dollars to local economies annually.

4. Fall Chinook run-sizes have ranged from 34,425 to 239,559 and have averaged 125,795.

Trinity River Hatchery

Iron Gate HatcheryKlamath River BasinKlamath River Basin

Yurok Tribe

Hoopa Valley Tribe

Karuk Tribe

Trinity Lake


The need for conducting annual fall Chinook run-size The need for conducting annual fall Chinook run-size estimatesestimates:

1. Forecast annual returns of adult fall chinook within the basin.

2. Provide equitable harvest between tribal fisheries and ocean sport and commercial fisheries and in-river sport fisheries. The adult harvest allocation provides 50% to tribes and 50% to other users.

3. Meet minimum basin floor escapement objectives of 35,000 natural fall Chinook adult spawners.

4. Determine cohort specific age structure, maturation rates, and survival estimates.

5. Provide trend monitoring for agency/tribal management and ESA evaluations.

6. Estimate hatchery contribution rates. 7. Develop harvest management recommendations including

potential annual regulation adjustments.


The need for conducting annual fall Chinook run-size The need for conducting annual fall Chinook run-size estimatesestimates:


1. Carcass Surveys: Salmon River, Scott River, Shasta River, Bogus Ck., Upper Klamath, and Upper Trinity

2. Redd Surveys: Miscellaneous Tributary Streams, Mid Klamath and Trinity Rivers

3. Video Fish Counting Facilities: Shasta River and Bogus Creek

4. Fish Marking Facilities:Trinity River

Methods Used to Determine Natural Chinook Methods Used to Determine Natural Chinook Salmon Escapement LevelsSalmon Escapement Levels::

1. 1. Carcass SurveysCarcass Surveys

Cooperative Spawning Ground Surveys using mark-recapture techniques are conducted on the Scott and Salmon Rivers. These surveys are conducted in cooperation with several agencies, tribes, and organizations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts a mark-recapture carcass survey on the upper Klamath River between Iron Gate Dam and the confluence of the Shasta River.

Carcass surveys are conducted on the Shasta River and Bogus Creek in conjunction with the operation video fish counting facilities.

A carcass survey is conducted on the upper Trinity River to recover tagged fish from the Willow Ck. Weir, ad-clipped fish, and gather biological data for management purposes.




Trinity Lake

Cooperative Spawning Ground Surveys

Cooperative Spawning Ground SurveyCooperative Spawning Ground Survey

California Department of Fish and Game

U.S. Forest Service, Klamath & Six Rivers Forests

Yurok and Karuk Tribal Fisheries Departments

Salmon River Restoration Council

Siskiyou Resource Conservation District

AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project

Local County Schools

Local Landowners

Volunteers


Scott and Salmon RiversScott and Salmon Rivers

Klamath River ProjectKlamath River Project

Annual Training Workshop:Annual Training Workshop:

Gain an understanding of the importance of fishery from presentations given by basin stakeholders including the various tribes, fisherman and agricultural community.

Receive training on how to identify species, measure fork length, collect scales, recover heads from ad-clipped fish, apply jaw tags and properly record data.

Receive safety training on the use of equipment and working in swift water.

Learn how to conduct simple Petersen Estimates



Survey crews are organized during a staging session held every morning prior to each survey.

Surveys are conducted twice weekly throughout the Chinook salmon spawning season

Survey Reaches are generally about 4 miles in length

For Mark-Recapture purposes each carcass is categorized into one of four potential Pathways:


Path 1: Fresh carcass, clear eyes & firm flesh, collect data, apply jaw tag.

Path 2: Decayed carcass, cloudy eyes and mushy flesh, collect data, cut in half. Path 3: Recaptured Path 1, retrieve tag, record data, cut in half.

Path 4: Carcass that could not be retrieved.


Run Size Estimate Calculations:Run Size Estimate Calculations:

The Petersen Equation is used to calculate the preliminary run size at the end of the season because of its simplicity. Tends to over estimate run size and yields wider confidence intervals.

The Schafer Equation is used to calculate the final run size after all of the data is edited and prior to start of Klamath River Technical Advisory Team’s age comp meeting in late January. The Schafer estimate provides a more accurate estimate with tighter confidence intervals.

2. Spawning Ground Redd Surveys2. Spawning Ground Redd Surveys

Redd Surveys are conducted on smaller tributary streams and in portions of the main stem Klamath and Trinity Rivers to describe distribution and estimate run size in areas that receive less use.

All redds are counted and mapped using either topography maps or GPS.

All live chinook are counted during each survey.

The run size estimate for each location is derived by expanding the number of redds observed by 2 and adding the number of live chinook salmon observed during the last survey.

3. Video Fish Counting Facilities3. Video Fish Counting Facilities

Shasta River Fish Shasta River Fish Counting FacilityCounting Facility

& &

Bogus Creek Fish Bogus Creek Fish Counting FacilityCounting Facility

Klamath River BasinKlamath River Basin

Video Fish Counting Weirs

Video Fish Counting FacilitiesVideo Fish Counting Facilities

An Alaskan style weir is used to direct migrating salmon through the counting flume.

Shasta River Fish Counting Facility

Underwater Video Counting WeirsUnderwater Video Counting Weirs

View of counting flume and underwater camera housingView of counting flume and underwater camera housing


Camera image is recorded on a Camera image is recorded on a time lapse SVHS recorder set time lapse SVHS recorder set to record over a 12 hour to record over a 12 hour period. Tapes are changed period. Tapes are changed twice daily at 0600 and 1800 twice daily at 0600 and 1800 hours. Each tape has a date, hours. Each tape has a date, time, and record speed stamp. time, and record speed stamp. Tapes are reviewed in our Tapes are reviewed in our video lab and data is entered video lab and data is entered on data sheets and computer on data sheets and computer files for analysis. Data files for analysis. Data recorded includes species, recorded includes species, date, time, presence of an ad-date, time, presence of an ad-clip, lamprey, and any other clip, lamprey, and any other marks or tags that may be marks or tags that may be visible. visible.


Coho SalmonCoho Salmon

Chinook SalmonChinook Salmon


Run Size Estimate Calculations:Run Size Estimate Calculations:

Shasta River: The run size is determined from a direct count of all fish that pass through the Shasta River Fish Counting Facility.

Bogus Creek: The run size is determined from a direct count of all fish that pass through the Bogus Creek Fish Counting Facility plus the number of carcasses observed during spawning ground surveys conducted in the 0.25 miles of creek below the weir.

Carcass surveys are still required to collect biological data and recover heads from any ad-clipped fish.

4. Fish Marking Weirs4. Fish Marking Weirs

Willow Creek Fish Marking WeirWillow Creek Fish Marking Weir

Lower Trinity RiverLower Trinity River



Yurok Tribe

Hoopa Valley Tribe

Karuk Tribe

Trinity LakeWillow Creek Fish Willow Creek Fish Marking WeirMarking Weir

4. Fish Marking Weirs: Trinity River4. Fish Marking Weirs: Trinity River

1. Fished Sunday night through Friday afternoon and opened every afternoon for 3 to 4 hours to reduce delays in migration.

2. All Chinook of good condition are tagged, 1/3 with a $10 reward tag and 2/3 with non reward tags.

3. All adult steelhead (>42cm) are tagged, ½ with reward tags and ½ with non reward tags.

4. All coho are tagged with non reward tags.

5. Run size estimate, hatchery contribution rates, and harvest rates are derived from various tag return rates collected during recovery at Trinity Hatchery, during carcass surveys, and from reward tag returns provided by sport fisherman.

Cooperative Spawning Ground SurveysCooperative Spawning Ground SurveysScott and Salmon RiversScott and Salmon Rivers

Marking weirs were used from 1982 to 1991. Negative public reactions to the Marking weirs were used from 1982 to 1991. Negative public reactions to the use of marking weirs and potential impacts they have on fish mainly focused on use of marking weirs and potential impacts they have on fish mainly focused on handling stress and potential migration delays. Periodic high flows and remote handling stress and potential migration delays. Periodic high flows and remote locations hampered effectiveness of weir operations. Carcass Surveys were locations hampered effectiveness of weir operations. Carcass Surveys were also conducted to recapture tags applied at the weirs. also conducted to recapture tags applied at the weirs.

Participation by multiple groups of stakeholders increased efficiency and Participation by multiple groups of stakeholders increased efficiency and allows for complete coverage of all major spawning areas and made extensive allows for complete coverage of all major spawning areas and made extensive mark recapture surveys a reality in 1992.mark recapture surveys a reality in 1992.

Channel characteristics, flow patterns, and good visibility provide favorable Channel characteristics, flow patterns, and good visibility provide favorable conditions to conduct pedestrian surveys using waders.conditions to conduct pedestrian surveys using waders.

Experience has shown that recovery rates range between 50% and 75%. High Experience has shown that recovery rates range between 50% and 75%. High recovery rates provide a fairly accurate run size estimate. recovery rates provide a fairly accurate run size estimate.

Why We Do What We Do Where!Why We Do What We Do Where!

Redd SurveysRedd Surveys

Cooperative effort by multiple agencies and tribes allows for basin wide Cooperative effort by multiple agencies and tribes allows for basin wide coverage of these smaller tributary streams that would otherwise be coverage of these smaller tributary streams that would otherwise be missed (Indian, Red Cap, Grider, Elk, etc.). missed (Indian, Red Cap, Grider, Elk, etc.).

Provides some information for tracking population trends and Provides some information for tracking population trends and distribution of Chinook salmon in these smaller tributaries. distribution of Chinook salmon in these smaller tributaries.

In terms of the overall fall Chinook run size for the Basin, Chinook use of In terms of the overall fall Chinook run size for the Basin, Chinook use of these smaller streams is a minor component and on average only these smaller streams is a minor component and on average only accounts for about 2.6% of the entire run since 1978. accounts for about 2.6% of the entire run since 1978.

Redd surveys tend to underestimate run size, and therefore, only Redd surveys tend to underestimate run size, and therefore, only provide a conservative estimate of run size in those areas. provide a conservative estimate of run size in those areas.



Operation of Video Fish Counting FacilitiesOperation of Video Fish Counting Facilities

Stable flow patterns, which exist in the Shasta River and Bogus Creek, Stable flow patterns, which exist in the Shasta River and Bogus Creek, provide favorable conditions for operation of video counting facilities. provide favorable conditions for operation of video counting facilities. Both of these streams are spring fed and are located on the east side of Both of these streams are spring fed and are located on the east side of the Salmon and Scott Mountains which greatly reduces the frequency the Salmon and Scott Mountains which greatly reduces the frequency and magnitude of high flows during the sampling period. and magnitude of high flows during the sampling period.

The majority of the lands in both the Shasta River and Bogus Creek are The majority of the lands in both the Shasta River and Bogus Creek are owned by private individuals which complicates our ability to access the owned by private individuals which complicates our ability to access the major spawning areas to conduct extensive spawning ground surveys.major spawning areas to conduct extensive spawning ground surveys.

Eliminates handling stress during migration however, spawning ground Eliminates handling stress during migration however, spawning ground surveys are still required to obtain a sub-sample of biological data surveys are still required to obtain a sub-sample of biological data necessary for fishery management process. necessary for fishery management process.


Operation of Fish Marking Weirs, Trinity RiverOperation of Fish Marking Weirs, Trinity River

Operation of the fish marking weir provides a cost effective way to gather Operation of the fish marking weir provides a cost effective way to gather data for estimating several parameters at one location.data for estimating several parameters at one location.

Information provided by the operation of the fish marking weir includes, run Information provided by the operation of the fish marking weir includes, run timing, in river harvest rates, age determination, gender, fork lengths, run timing, in river harvest rates, age determination, gender, fork lengths, run size, and provides for an independent estimate of hatchery contribution rates size, and provides for an independent estimate of hatchery contribution rates simplified by constant fractional marking at TRH. simplified by constant fractional marking at TRH.

Carcass surveys are conducted to retrieve tags, describe distribution, collect Carcass surveys are conducted to retrieve tags, describe distribution, collect additional hatchery contribution rate data, and collect biological data from additional hatchery contribution rate data, and collect biological data from naturally spawning populations.naturally spawning populations.

Recovery of all chinook salmon at TRH provides the terminal point for tag Recovery of all chinook salmon at TRH provides the terminal point for tag recoveries and determination of hatchery contribution rates.recoveries and determination of hatchery contribution rates.

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What Do We Get From All Of This!What Do We Get From All Of This!

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California Department of Fish and Game Klamath-Trinity Project Techniques Used To Monitor Naturally Spawning Chinook Salmon Escapement Levels In the Klamath