2024 Mid-Klamath Chinook Spawning Ground Surveys

The Siskiyou Resource Conservation District (SRCD) has been actively engaged in annual spawning ground surveys in the Scott River Valley since 2003. Through collaborative efforts between the Scott River Fish Counting Facility and cooperative surveys, a comprehensive dataset on fall-run Chinook salmon is gathered each year. This dataset encompasses vital information on run abundance, timing, age/sex/length composition, hatchery contribution, and spawning distribution. The monitoring of this population provides invaluable trend data, facilitating escapement estimates used by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council for effective management and allocation of Klamath Basin fall-run Chinook salmon. Additionally, the assessment of redd distribution aids local organizations in prioritizing habitat restoration projects on the Scott River mainstem and evaluating their effectiveness. These efforts include the utilization of spawning gravel sorted by large wood augmentation, offering insights into connectivity in upper reaches of the watershed that are typically inaccessible for spawning due to low-flow passage barriers.

In line with the project, Siskiyou RCD will conduct surveys of mainstem Scott River reaches 9-16, targeting Chinook spawners from mid-October through December 2024, subject to favorable conditions. A comprehensive final report will be generated, and all collected carcass data and samples will be submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, ensuring the valuable contribution of data to ongoing research and conservation efforts.