Washington stream flow and hatchery report for July 16

Written by Doug Huddle | The Bellingham Herald | July 16, 2010

As of Friday, July 16 at 9:30 a. m.

All median flow comparisons are for the July 16 history at each gauge.

SKAGIT RIVER

SPORT FISHERY: Sockeye salmon fishery for three days, July 16-18, from Dalles Bridge upstream to 200 feet above the east point of the mouth of the Baker River. Trout and char here and elsewhere on selected basin streams also legal under regulations. For the Skagit’s permanent regulations, see pages 35-37 of Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Marblemount Hatchery (Skagit spring chinook): 762 adults as of July 1. Same week total in 2009 – 370 spring chinook.
Baker River FCF (Baker sockeye): 7,993 adults. Same week total in 2009 – 5,520 sockeye.

FLOW – Skagit River Concrete Gauge

Recent: 19,400 c.f.s., slight drop, now 1,000 c.f.s. above median flow for date under daily power generation fluctuations.
Forecast: slight, steady drop through Monday, July 19.

SNOHOMISH RIVER SYSTEM

SPORT FISHERIES: Monroe (Lewis Bridge) to Wallace River for hatchery-origin spring chinook option is now closed by emergency order in the Skykomish River, but Snohomish/Skykomish system rivers and select tributaries remain open for the trout and summer-run steelhead season. See pages 38-40 of Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Wallace River Hatchery (Skykomish hatchery summer chinook): 912 adult chinook. Same week total in 2009 – 716 hatchery adult spring chinook.
Wallace River Hatchery (Snohomish hatchery summer steelhead): 89 adults. Same week total in 2009 – 107 hatchery adult summer steelhead.
Reiter Ponds (Snohomish hatchery summer steelhead): 221 adults. Same week total in 2009 – 318 hatchery adult summer steelhead.

FLOW – Skykomish River Gold Bar Gauge

Recent: 2,790 c.f.s., saw-tooth drop, now 230 c.f.s. below median flow for date.
Forecast: slight but steady drop through Monday, July 19.

QUILLAYUTE RIVER SYSTEM

SPORT FISHERIES: Quillayute River and Sol Duc River from confluence with Bogachiel upstream to hatchery pump-station for hatchery-origin chinook only changing Aug 31. Concurrent trout season including hatchery-origin steelhead (wild steelhead retention now closed). See reach information on page 58-59 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet. Hoh, Quinault, Bogachiel, Calawah and Dickey rivers also open for salmon and trout.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Sol Duc Hatchery (Sol Duc summer spring chinook): 721 adults. Same week total in 2009 – 532 spring chinook.
Sol Duc Hatchery (Sol Duc summer steelhead): 61 adults, first report of season. Same week total in 2010 – 17 summer steelhead.

No gauge.

COWLITZ RIVER

SPORT FISHERIES: Confluence with Columbia River upstream to Mayfield Dam for hatchery-origin chinook and/or coho only changing July 31. Concurrent trout season includes only hatchery-origin steelhead and cutthroat plus sturgeon. See reach closure information starting on page 51 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery (Cowlitz spring chinook): 4,662 hatchery adults and 903 jacks. Same week total in 2009 – 3,064 adult and 2,215 jack hatchery spring chinook.
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery (Cowlitz summer steelhead): 3,026 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 1,221 hatchery summer steelhead.
Cowlitz Trout Hatchery (Cowlitz summer steelhead): no report. Same week total in 2009 – 215 hatchery summer steelhead.

FLOW – Cowlitz River Castle Rock Gauge

Recent: 6,260 c.f.s., slow step drop, now 1,690 c.f.s. above median flow for date.
Forecast: steady through Wednesday, July 21.

KALAMA RIVER

SPORT FISHERIES: Confluence with Columbia River upstream to near salmon hatchery fishway for hatchery-origin chinook only changing July 31. Concurrent trout season includes only hatchery-origin steelhead and trout. See reach closure information on page 55 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Kalama Falls Hatchery (Kalama hatchery spring chinook): 461 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 108 hatchery spring chinook.
Kalama Falls Hatchery (Kalama hatchery summer steelhead): 362 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 226 hatchery summer steelhead.
Kalama Falls Hatchery (Kalama hatchery/wild summer steelhead): 768 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 583 hatchery/wild summer steelhead.

No gauge.

LEWIS RIVER SYSTEM

SPORT FISHERIES: Mainstem and lower forks for hatchery-origin chinook only changing July 31. Concurrent trout season is catch and release except for hatchery-origin steelhead. See reach closure information on page 55 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Merwin Dam FCF (Lewis hatchery spring chinook): 1,812 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 1,033 hatchery spring chinook.
Merwin Dam FCF (Lewis hatchery summer steelhead): 3,606 hatchery adults. Same week total in 2009 – 1,733 hatchery summer steelhead.

FLOW – Lewis River Ariel Gauge

Recent: 1,950 c.f.s., steady step drop, now 320 c.f.s. above median flow under steady power generation flow.

No forecast.

WASHOUGAL RIVER

SPORT FISHERY: Washougal River for hatchery-origin summer steelhead only catch and release on other gamefish, salmon season starts Aug. 1. See page 60 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)

Skamania Hatchery (Skamania hatchery summer steelhead): 1,354 hatchery adults as of June 30. Same week total in 2009 – 1,721 hatchery summer steelhead.

No gauge.

UPPER COLUMBIA RIVER

SPORT FISHERIES: Okanogan River only from Highway 97 Bridge near Brewster upstream to below Zosel Dam (Lake Osoyoos control) for chinook salmon only changing Sept. 15. Methow information is for reference, the Methow River is closed to salmon fishing. Concurrent gamefish season also open. See page 82 of 2010 Fishing in Washington regulations pamphlet.

FACILITY (Stock/Species)