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Ecology and salmon related articles

Columbia River Spring Chinook
Salmon Run Prediction Downgraded

by Bill Monroe
The Oregonian, May 21, 2017

Graphic from Fish Passage Center, shows late arrival of this year's Chinook migrating up over Lower Granite Dam (2018) along with the 10-year average. Columbia River salmon biologists have downgraded the pre-season spring chinook salmon prediction for the upper Columbia from 166,700 to 116,500 fish.

The count at Bonneville Dam stood at 64,479 as of Sunday.

Biologists said a run of 81,800 upriver fish will more than justify the catch and collateral mortalities of 4,332 protected upriver salmon during the April/May sportfishing seasons below and above Bonneville.

They've said in the past that number should be reached, with nearly a month remaining of counts at Bonneville.

There was no word Monday whether they'll consider reopening sportfishing below or above Bonneville.

The announcement Monday came with a caveat about high flows from interior basin flooding and wide fluctuations in daily passage, leaving the revised run-size estimate uncertain.


Bill Monroe
Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon Run Prediction Downgraded
The Oregonian, May 21, 2017

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