FY2022 Adult Summer Steelhead and Spring Chinook Census on Mid-Klamath Tributaries - Karuk

Objective: Monitor endangered salmon and steelhead populations at the watershed scale in the Middle Klamath River and Salmon River watersheds. The project objective is to continue large scale and long-term population monitoring of adult summer steelhead and spring run chinook populations in the Klamath River Basin.


Background: The Karuk Tribe in cooperation with Federal, State and local watershed groups has conducted salmon population censuses since the late 1990’s. Summer steelhead and spring run Chinook salmon are both listed as endangered species by California. Recently Klamath River Spring Run Chinook were petitioned for federal ESA listing and NOAA Fisheries is conducting a status review for ESA listing. Spring Chinook in the Salmon River is one of the last viable wild socks that remain in the Klamath Basin and an important species with respect to Klamath Dam removal and re-population in the upper Klamath River Basin. The surveys will contribute to a data set that dates back more than twenty years for some tributaries. This annual survey is important for long term monitoring and evaluation of recovery efforts. Snorkel surveys will be conducted during the summer months on the Salmon River, Wooley Creek, Bluff Creek, Red Cap Creek, Camp Creek, Dillon Creek, Clear Creek, Elk Creek, Indian Creek, Thompson Creek, Grider Creek and the lower Scott River. Surveys will be conducted in coordination with other participating agencies and tribes. The Tribe will coordinate with cooperators and conduct the surveys during the summer of 2021. Data will be provided to the lead agency for inclusion into a long term trend monitoring data base.

The project builds on a long term monitoring effort to monitor vulnerable salmon runs including summer steelhead and spring run Chinook salmon. Warming water temperatures related to climate change is a serious threat to our local stocks of summer steelhead and spring run Chinook therefore this project will benefit fisheries managers’ ability to monitor population size, distribution and current geographic range. Klamath Dam removal is a key action for salmon conservation in regards to climate change impacts by providing access for salmon recolonization into the upper Klamath basin. This project is monitoring the source population (summer steelhead and spring chinook) that will recolonize habitat located above the dams and therefore a critical benefit to long term salmon conservation in the Klamath Basin.